Ref: 29 / 2010

The Palestinian Centre for
Human Rights’ (PCHR) Democratic Development Unit (DDU) organized two panel
discussions in cooperation with local civil society organizations on the right
to peaceful assembly.  These two panel
discussions are part of PCHR’s activities aimed at promoting democracy in the
Palestinian society.

On Tuesday, 9 March 2010,
PCHR organized a panel discussion in cooperation with al-Qarara Youth Forum in
al-Qarara village, east of Khan Yunis, with 28 participants in attendance.  These participants are volunteers from
al-Qarara Youth Forum. Mahmoud al-Efranji, a researcher in PCHR’s DDU,
presented a paper on “the Right to Peaceful Assembly Under the International
Law and Palestinian Regulations.”  The
participants were then given the opportunity to participate in discussions on
the concept of peaceful assembly, international standards and laws regulating
the right to peaceful assembly and the status of the right to peaceful assembly
under the Palestinian National Authority.

On 3 March 2010, PCHR
organized a panel discussion in cooperation with al-Maghazi Cultural Center.  Thirty females, who are workers, volunteers or
interested women from al-Maghazi Cultural Center, attended this meeting.  Mahmoud al-Efranji also presented a paper on
“the Right to Peaceful Assembly Under the International Palestinian Laws.”

These meetings are part of
a series of activities organized by PCHR, in cooperation with other civil
society organizations, which aim to enhance and develop democracy in the
Palestinian society.   These
meetings seek to raise public awareness with respect to the principles of
democracy, and to strengthen and enhance these principles in Palestinian
society.   PCHR considers such
activities as essential in light of Palestinians’ deteriorating faith in the
democratic process.  Such deterioration has arisen consequent to the
international community’s boycott of the results of the Palestinian legislative
elections of January 2006, and as a result of the internal political
fragmentation and its consequent destructive impacts on the Palestinian
national cause.