Ref: 46/2013
Date: 8 May 2013
Time: 09:10 GMT

The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) condemns the actions of the Internal Security Services (ISS), who prevented Dr Mahmoud Daher, Acting Director of the World Health Organization (WHO) office in Jerusalem, from travelling to Jerusalem through Beit Hanoun (“Erez”) crossing on Tuesday, 07 May 2013. PCHR calls upon the Ministry of Interior in the Gaza Strip to immediately permit Dr Daher to travel, to respect civil liberties and fundamental freedoms, and to put an end to the use of procedures which restrict the right to freedom of movement, which is guaranteed by the constitution and under international human rights law.

According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 14:30 on Tuesday 07 May 2013, members of the ISS, who are stationed at the customs checkpoint to the south of Beit Hanoun crossing, prevented Dr Daher (48) from travelling to Jerusalem. In his testimony to a PCHR fieldworker, Dr Daher stated that he had been waiting for more than half an hour at the checkpoint when a member of the ISS informed him that he would not be permitted to travel. He was not provided with any explanation. Dr Daher attempted to contact members of the government, including the Minister of Health, to request them to intervene, but he did not receive any positive responses. He left the crossing and returned to Gaza City. It should be mentioned that Dr Daher has been serving as Acting Director of the WHO office in Jerusalem for approximately one month, and supervises all WHO activities in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt). This requires regular travel between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

PCHR reiterates its condemnation of ISS procedures in the Gaza Strip, which restrict the freedom of movement of civilians, and calls upon the government in Gaza to put an end to the use of these procedures and to respect freedom of movement, which is guaranteed by the constitutional and under international human rights law. PCHR also calls upon the government in the Gaza Strip to facilitate the work of United Nations agencies and international humanitarian organisations, including WHO and its employees, which play an important role in promoting and developing health and humanitarian services in the oPt.