Condemns the Violent Dispersion of Peaceful Assembly in Hebron on the Anniversary of the Palestinian Nakba

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Ref: 45/2011
Date: 16 May 2011
Time: 10:30 GMT

The Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) condemns the violent dispersion by Palestinian security services of a peaceful demonstration organized in Hebron on Sunday, 15 May 2011. The demonstration was on the 63rd anniversary of the Palestinian Nakba – the uprooting of the Palestinian people from their lands in 1948. Human rights defenders were prevented from carrying out their work and materials relevant to their work were confiscated. PCHR calls upon the government in Ramallah to respect the right to peaceful assembly and public liberties, which are ensured under the constitution and international human rights standards.

According to investigations conducted by PCHR and eyewitnesses’ testimonies, on Sunday at approximately 12:00, 15 May 2011, numerous Palestinian police and security officers were deployed at al-Zawia Square in the old town of the southern West Bank town of Hebron. They prevented dozens of participants from marching towards Area B, which is under full control of Israeli forces, in commemoration of the 63rd anniversary of the Palestinian Nakba. The police and security officers used force to disperse and drive the demonstrators away from the area. A number of demonstrators were violently beaten. Additionally, police and security officers confiscated a camera from Hisham Sharbati, a journalist and a field worker for al-Haq, and prevented him from reporting on these incidents.

Security officers also confiscated the mobile phone of Manal No’man al-Ja’bari, a field worker from B’Tselem – The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories, while she was photographing a security officer beating a young female student. A person wearing civilian clothes approached al-Ja’bari and introduced himself as a police officer. He took her mobile phone and deleted all the photographs from the phone’s memory. He then prevented her from working in the area.

In light of the above:

1) PCHR calls upon the government in Ramallah to seriously investigate attacks on participants at the peaceful assembly in Hebron.
2) PCHR emphasizes that the right to peaceful assembly is ensured under the Palestinian Basic Law and international human rights standards.
3) PCHR calls upon Palestinian security services to respect international human rights standards, the Palestinian Basic Law and relevant laws.

Public Document