Break-in into the offices of PNGO and CHF in Gaza

December 15, 2009

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT).

Description of the situation:

The Observatory has been informed by the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) about the break-in, entering and robbery into the offices of the Palestinian Non-Governmental Organizations Network (PNGO) and the Cooperative Housing Foundation (CHF) in Gaza City.

According to the information received, on December 13, 2009 in the morning, when PNGO employees arrived at their premises in Abu al-Qumsan building, al-Shifa street, they found that the office was raided and that a sum of approximately US$ 1,000 was stolen. The employees did not notice any sign of damage to doors or windows in the office, and reported the incident to the police, who opened an investigation. The PNGO was awarded the Human Rights Prize of the French Republic earlier in December.

Moreover, the office of Riada Project, which is run by CHF and located in the same building as PNGO, was also recently raided by unknown persons, who forced two empty safes. The police came on the spot and an investigation was also opened. However, the investigation had led to no concrete result as of issuing this urgent appeal.

The Observatory recalls that on November 15, 2009, the offices of the Al Dameer Association for Human Rights in Gaza city had been burgled and searched too[1]. As of issuing this urgent appeal, those responsible had still not been identified.

The Observatory is therefore concerned with the recent multiplication of breaks-in and robberies targeting human rights organisations in Gaza, and sees it as an attempt to hinder their human rights activities.

Actions requested:

Please write to the authorities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, urging them to:

1. Guarantee in all circumstances the physical and psychological integrity of members of the Palestinian Non-Governmental Organizations Network and the Cooperative Housing Foundation as well as of all human rights defenders in the OPT;
2. Carry out a prompt, effective, thorough, independent and impartial investigation into the above-mentioned events, the result of which must be made public, in order to bring all those responsible before a competent, independent and impartial tribunal and apply penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
3. Put an end to any kind of harassment against all human rights defenders in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and ensure in all circumstances that they are able to carry out their work without unjustified hindrances;
4. Conform with the provisions of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, especially its Article 1, which states that “everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realisation of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels”, Article 6(b), which states that “everyone has the right, individually and in association with others (...) to publish, impart or disseminate to others views, information and knowledge on all human rights and fundamental freedoms”, and its Article 12(2), which provides that “the State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually or in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the [...] Declaration”;
5. More generally, ensure in all circumstances the respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with international human rights instruments.

Addresses

• Mr. Ismail Haneyeh, Prime Minister (Gaza Government): +970 8 288 4815
• Mr. Fathi Hammdad, Minister of Interior: +970 8 288 1994
• Permanent Observer Mission of Palestine to the United Nations, Route de Vernier 96, Châtelaine, Switzerland. Fax. +41 22 796 78 60, Email: Palestine.un@bluewin.ch

Geneva-Paris, December 15, 2009

Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.

The Observatory, a FIDH and OMCT venture, is dedicated to the protection of Human Rights Defenders and aims to offer them concrete support in their time of need. The Observatory was the winner of the 1998 Human Rights Prize of the French Republic.

To contact the Observatory, call the emergency line:

• E-mail: Appeals@fidh-omct.org
• Tel and fax OMCT + 41 (0) 22 809 49 39 / + 41 22 809 49 29
• Tel and fax FIDH + 33 (0) 1 43 55 25 18 / +33 1 43 55 18 80

[1] See Urgent Appeal PAL 001/1109/OBS 170, issued on November 19, 2009.