The arrest and persecution of Palestinian human
rights defenders and civil society leaders and organizations
has been a persistent practice of the Israeli military
occupation – a practice which is continuing and
escalating today. At 5:00 am on September 15, Eteraf Rimawi, Executive Director
of Bisan Center for Research and Development, was
taken from his home by Israeli soldiers. He has been
detained five times before, most frequently in
administrative detention, without charge or trial. Bisan
Center for Research and Development is a critical social
research organization, doing groundbreaking work around
donor aid and domination in Palestine, industrial zones and
economic exploitation and oppression, and the situation of
Palestinian refugee youth.
In a statement, Bisan Center noted that the detention
of its executive director is “an attempt from the
occupation’s authorities to injure or stop the work of
the civil society organizations in Palestine that serve the
actual needs of people.”
In
addition, human rights defenders like Palestinian
lawyer Shireen Issawi, whose work to defend Palestinian
political prisoners and speak publicly in defense of her
imprisoned family members such as former long-term hunger
striker Samer Issawi, have been held for months without
trial. Bushra al-Tawil, 21, a journalist and
prisoners’ rights advocate, has been imprisoned and
held on secret evidence.
Human rights defenders like Dr. Yousef Abdulhaq, 73,
co-founder of the Tanweer Center, are being held in
administrative detention without charge or trial; hundreds
of Palestinians have been administratively detained in just
the past few months.
Attacks on human rights defenders violate
international human rights law. These arrests directed at
Palestinian civil society reveal an agenda to undermine
Palestinian civil society organizations that serve the needs
of the Palestinian people, and suppress those who work for
Palestinian human rights.
Take action to demand the immediate release of
Eteraf Rimawi, Shireen Issawi, Bushra al-Tawil, Yousef
Abdulhaq and all Palestinian human rights defenders held in
Israeli prisons, and an end to the ongoing attacks on
Palestinian civil society leaders and organizations.
TAKE ACTION!
1. Click here to send
a letter to occupation officials and demand the freedom of
these human rights defenders and an end to the attacks on
Palestinian civil society. It is critical
to ensure the occupation is aware of international support
for Palestinian civil society under attack!
2. Protest at the Israeli consulate or
embassy. Bring posters and flyers to your
next community protest in solidarity with
Palestine about Palestinian political prisoners.
Hold a community event or discussion, or include
these cases in your next event about Palestine and
social justice.
3. Boycott, Divest and
Sanction. Hold Israel accountable for its
violations of international law. Don’t buy Israeli
goods, and campaign to end investments in corporations that
profit from the occupation. Learn more at bdsmovement.net.
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