Ref: 39/2010

The Palestinian Centre for
Human Rights’ (PCHR) Democratic Development Unit (DDU) organized a new
discussion panel in cooperation with the Department of French at the al-Aqsa University, titled “The Right
to Peaceful Assembly Under the Palestinian National Authority.”  The session was held on Sunday morning, 4
April 2010, at al-Aqsa University with 20 students from the Department of French
in attendance.

Salah Abu Hatab, a social
activist, facilitated this workshop.  Mahmoud al-Efranji, a researcher at DDU,
presented a paper on “The Right to Peaceful Assembly Under the International Law
and Palestinian Laws.” The participants were then given the opportunity to
engage in discussions on the concept of peaceful assembly, international
standards and domestic laws organizing the right to peaceful assembly and the
situation of the right to peaceful assembly under the rule of the Palestinian
National Authority.

On Thursday, 01 April
2010, another meeting was held in cooperation with the Right and Justice
Association in Khan Yunis with the attendance of approximately 20 activists
from the Association.  During the
meeting, Mahmoud al-Efranji, a researcher at DDU, presented a paper on “The
Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression Under the Palestinian National
Authority.”

These two meetings are a
part of a three-year project funded by the European Union and Oxfam Novib. The
project is titled Raising Awareness and Respect for Human Rights in OPT.  These meetings are also a part of efforts
exerted by PCHR to enhance democracy, in the long-term, in the Palestinian
society in cooperation with the civil society organizations.  These meetings aim at raising awareness of the
public about the concept of democracy and about means adopted to enhance
democracy in the Palestinian society, especially in view of the retreat of
Palestinians’ trust in the democratic process in the pat few years.