Ref: 24/2023

Date: 03 March 2023

Time: 11:00 GMT

PCHR condemns security services’ banning Palestinian figures from holding a press conference in Ramallah on the latest developments in the Palestinian arena though all preparations were done.  The security services raided the place and prevented journalists from covering the event. PCHR stresses that such action is a violation of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, and the right to peaceful assembly, which are both constitutionally guaranteed, as well as breaching the Public Meetings Law No. 12 of 1998.

150 Palestinian figures were supposed to hold the press conference yesterday, 01 March 2023, at Watan Media Network office in Ramallah, to announce “statement the Palestinian public opinion” calling for elections and protesting against PA’s withdrawing a draft United Nations Security Council resolution on settlement activity and five-party summit in ‘Aqaba.  During preparations, armed security officers in plainclothes raided the office, where the conference was held, deployed on the 3^rd and 5^th floor, prevented holding the conference by force after verbal altercations with the conference organizers. The security officers also prevented journalists from entering the office and covering the event and forced the organizers and journalists out of the place. One of the security officers took the phone of one of the journalists and deleted the video he took for the raid.

PCHR stresses that this conference and similar gatherings, workshops and seminars held in closed places such as halls and others are all considered private gatherings that do not fall under the Public Meetings Law no. 12 of 1998; thus, they do not require an authorization nor a notification from the competent authorities to hold them. Therefore, banning their organization is a form of authority abuse.

PCHR stresses that the PA shall respect the constitution and its international obligations following its accession in 2014 to the International Covenant on Civil and Pollical Rights as Article 21 of the Covenant stipulates that no restrictions may be placed on the exercise of the right to peaceful assembly.

PCHR calls upon the PA and the Palestinian Prime Minister to work seriously to end the security services’ violations of the rights and freedoms protected and guaranteed by the Palestinian Basic Law and international laws binding on Palestine.