Ref: 65/2009

Date: 21 May 2009

Time: 11:25 GMT  

PCHR Condemns Gaza Security Services’ Prevention of Women’s Rights Activists from Traveling to Ramallah

The Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) condemns the ban imposed by Palestinian security services of the Gaza Government on women’s rights activists preventing them from traveling to Ramallah on Wednesday morning, 20 May 2009, to participate in the fifth conference of the General Union of Palestinian Women (GUPW). PCHR calls upon the Gaza government to stop such measures, which restrict the rights to freedom of movement and peaceful assembly ensured by the constitution and international human rights standards.

According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 11:00 on Wednesday, 20 May 2009, 87 women, who are elected conference members from all over the Gaza Strip, traveled towards Ramallah to participate in the fifth conference of GUPW, in response to a formal invitation. One of these women, Ms. Amal Hamad, acting head of the administrative board of the GUPW in Gaza, told PCHR that when they arrived at the Customs checkpoint to the south Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing in the northern Gaza Strip, they were stopped by police officers and members of the Internal Security Service. Security officers searched bags belonging to the women and confiscated documents related to the conference, ID cards and passports. Ms. Hamad added that the security officers informed the women that they were prevented from traveling to Ramallah for political considerations, without revealing who issued this decision. The women were also instructed to refer to the headquarters of the Internal Security Service in Gaza City on Sunday, 24 May 2009.  In response, the women organized a sit-in in the area until 15:30, but such action proved unfruitful. Ms. Wijdan Mabrouk, member of the administrative board of the GUPW, stated that the confiscated documents were returned to women in response to the intervention of Mr. Jameel al-Majdalawi, Member of the Palestinian Legislative Council.

On Thursday morning, 21 May 2009, the women attempted to communicate with the conference, which is being held in Ramallah, through the video conference technique at Grand Palace Hotel in Gaza, but the administration of the hotel refused to allow them without obtaining permission form relevant authorities.

PCHR is concerned over these measures and calls upon the government in Gaza to act to stop them and to abstain from restricting the rights to freedom of movement, peaceful assembly and public meetings ensured by the constitution and international human right standards. PCHR is also dismayed by the decision taken by the administration of the Grand Palace Hotel not to allow women to communicate with the conference through the video conference technique without official permission, as participating through the video conference technique does not mean organizing a public meeting, so it does not need a license from concerned authorities according to the Public Meetings Law (12) of 1998.