Ref: 14/2015
Date: 17 March 2015
Time: 12:40 GMT

The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) denounces preventing Amal Hamad, member of Fatah Central Committee, by that security services in Gaza denied from traveling to the West Bank via Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing, north of the Gaza Strip. PCHR calls upon the Attorney-General’s office and concerned authorities to stop such measures and respect the individuals’ right to freedom of movement that is guaranteed under the Palestinian Basic Law and international human rights standards.

According to investigations conducted by PCHR, on Sunday morning, 15 March 2015, the Palestinian security services stationed at Customs’ Checkpoint (44), south of Beit Hanoun crossing, informed Ms. Amal Hamad (52), member of Fatah Central Committee, from Beit Hanoun town, that she was banned from crossing the checkpoint in order to travel to Ramallah to attend a meeting on Fatah’s affairs and ordered her to return to Gaza. Ms. Hamad stated to a PCHR fieldworker that she approached the checkpoint on 08:30, but the security officers denied her access. She added that she stayed in the car until 11:00, when the security officers told her that she was banned from traveling upon a political decision and she had to return to Gaza.

It should be noted that security services in Gaza have prevented members of Fatah movement from traveling to Ramallah via Beit Hanoun crossing this year. On 03 February 2015, they prevented Ma’moun Sweidan (43), Fatah movement Public Relations Officer in Gaza, and ‘Atef Talal Abu Saif, a Fatah leader, from traveling to Ramallah to participate in a workshop on the future of Palestine’s accession to the International Criminal Court.

PCHR condemns this denial, which is in violation of the law and:

1. Calls upon the attorney general to intervene to stop these measures and respect the individuals’ right to freedom of movement that is guaranteed under the Palestinian Basic Law and according to the Palestinian Basic Law and international human rights standards;
2. Stresses that the decision to ban travel and restrict the right to freedom of movement cannot be enforced unless by a judicial order according to article (11-2) of the Palestinian Basic Law;
3. Believes that such measures impose unacceptable restrictions on the freedom of movement of persons which aggravate the Gaza Strip population’s suffering resulting from the Israeli-imposed closure; and
4. Calls upon the concerned authorities in Gaza to respect international human rights standards, the Palestinian Basic Law and relevant laws.