Ref: 23/2013

On Thursday, 28 March 2013, the training unit
of the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) organized two meetings to
raise awareness on mechanisms of access to justice and judicial remedy for
Palestinian fishermen in Gaza City and the north of the Gaza Strip.  Around 150 fishermen, who are members of the
Fishermen Syndicate, attended the two meetings in both governorates.

Ahlam al-Aqra’, a lawyer at the PCHR’s Legal
Aid Unit, facilitated the first meeting, where 42 fishermen attended, in the
Fishermen Syndicate’s office in Gaza Seaport. 
Lawyer al-Aqra’ addressed mechanisms of legal aid that PCHR provides for
fishermen, who are subject to human rights violations.  She reviewed the nature of the PCHR’s legal
unit work and explained the mechanisms used by it to defend victims.  She also talked about mechanisms of
monitoring and documentation of human rights violations, especially those
committed against the fishermen in the Gaza waters.  She also reviewed a number of cases of
violations of fishermen’s rights that PCHR managed to follow legally and achieve
positive outcomes.  Al-Aqra’ called upon
fishermen to refer to PCHR if their rights are violated in order to follow up them
legally and provide the necessary legal aid for them.

During another meeting targeting fishermen in
al-Sa’ad Cafeteria in the northern Gaza Strip, Khalil Shahin, Director of
PCHR’s Economic and Social Rights Unit, talked about the concept of the right
to adequate housing, property and land under the international humanitarian law
and human rights law.  He explained
mechanisms of access to justice and judicial remedy for fishermen, who are
subject to human rights violations in the Gaza waters.  Shahin also addressed the importance of
monitoring and documenting these violations as a prelude to achieve justice for
victims and follow up them legally.  He
also discussed legal aid means and the role of PCHR in protecting fishermen’s
rights.

It should be mentioned that PCHR organized a
number of meetings and training courses for fishermen and farmers in the Gaza
Strip.  They are part of a project
implemented by PCHR in cooperation with the Norwegian Refugee Council entitled
“Improving Access to Justice.”  This
project has started in August 2012 and will end on 31 March 2013.