Palestine: Threats to Human Rights Organizations

PAL 001 /9906/ OBS 039
Harassment/ Restrictive New Law
Palestine 
17th  June 1999.


The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint 
programme of the FIDH and the OMCT, requests your URGENT 
intervention with the Palestinian Authorities on the following situation.

Brief description of the situation 

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders has been 
informed by the Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human rights 
and the Environment (LAW) and the Palestinian Centre for Human 
Rights, members of both the FIDH and OMCT, of the threat facing 
Palestinian NGOs 
and particularly Palestinian human rights organisations.

These moves come in the context of regional developments (see remarks) 
and an ongoing campaign to undermine, attack and vilify Palestinian 
NGOs, orchestrated by the Palestinian Authority.

Over the past three weeks the attacks against human rights NGOs have 
intensified. This campaign appears to be led by the Minister of Justice, 
Frieh Abu Meiden and centres on attempts to undermine the long 
awaited new law of association and NGO's (the Law of Charitable 
Associations and Community Organisations in Palestine (known as the 
NGO law)).  The law is widely viewed as positive providing legal 
protection to NGOs, while equally ensuring their accountability.

Human rights organisations and other sectors of civil society have 
contributed to the development of the law and the Palestine Legislative 
Council voted in favour of the law. It is presently awaiting 
implementation into law.

The campaign led by the Minister of Justice appears to confirm moves 
by the Palestinian executive to keep NGO's under the control of the 
Ministry of Interior, which would undermine the text, adopted by the 
legislative Council. This is of serious concern as the Ministry of the 
Interior has undertaken acts of harassment and defamation against 
human rights organisations.

The proposal to keep control with the Ministry of the Interior was 
rejected by the democratically elected legislature, which accepted that 
NGOs would act with greater independence if responsibility for 
regulation of NGOs were with the Ministry of Justice.

Given the circumstances the Observatory must express its immediate 
concern over the threat of increasing acts of repression against 
Palestinian NGOs and in particular human rights NGOs. Should the 
Interior Ministry be given jurisdiction over NGOs, in the longer term 
there are grave concerns for the freedom of human rights NGOs to carry 
out their work promoting and protecting human rights.

Remarks

These events should be seen in the regional context of increasing 
repression against civil society. Most particularly the events described 
in this case appear to mirror recent moves in Egypt to legislate to restrict 
NGO activity (see case. EGY 001 /9905/ OBS 032).

This new Egyptian law, opposed by all Egyptian and International NGOs, 
gives the authorities excessive powers of control over NGOs. These acts 
have serious implications which threaten civil society across  the region.

Action Requested 

Please write to the Palestinian authorities urging that they 

i       implement the new law as foreseen by the democratically elected 
Palestine Legislative Council ;

ii.  ensure the implementation of the provisions of the Declaration on 
Human Rights Defenders adopted by the UN General Assembly on 
December 9 1998 (Declaration concerning the rights and responsibilities 
of individuals, groups and institutions to promote and protect 
universally recognised human rights and fundamental liberties ) in 
particular its Article 1 which provides that " Every person has the right, 
individually or collectively, to promote the protection and fulfilment of 
human rights and fundamental liberties at the national and international 
level. "

Addresses 

Yasser Arafat, President of the Palestinian Authority, Abu Khadra 
Building, Omar al-Mukhtar Street, Gaza, via Israel.  Fax + 972 7 2822 
365/6 ( if voice, say " fax, please ").

Freih Abu Meddein, Palestinian Authority, Minister of Justice, Abu 
Khadra Building, Omar al-al-Mukhtar Street, Gaza, via Israel. Fax + 972 7 
2822 236

Khalid al-Qidrah, Attorney General, Palestinian Authority, Attorney 
General Building, Yarmouk, Gaza, via Israel.  Fax + 972 7 2824 502.

Geneva, 17 June 1999

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