In April 2015, a group of Palestinian human rights organizations wrote a letter to the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon urging the UN to terminate its contracts with international security company G4S due to its complicity in the Israeli occupation's prison system and human rights violations as well as a record of grave human rights violations around the world.
Five months later, the UN has still not replied to the letter. Today, Palestinian human rights organizations joined by over 220 solidarity groups, trade unions, human rights organizations and migrant solidarity groups from around the world renew the call and urge the UN to cancel its contract with G4S because of the role the company plays in human rights abuses in Palestine and other parts of the world.
Mr. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
760 United Nations Plaza
New York, NY 10017
10 September 2015
Dear Mr. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon,
We, the undersigned community organisations, trade unions, faith and student groups from around the world are deeply troubled that the United Nations has a number of major contracts with the international security company G4S, providing services to UN facilities and agencies, in violation of the UN’s own guidelines. We urge the UN to end its relationship with G4S due to the company’s clear and active role in human rights abuses.
G4S is complicit with Israel’s human rights violations and demonstrates by its actions that it does not support or respect the protection of internationally proclaimed human rights:
● G4S has an ongoing contract with the Israeli Prison Service to provide and maintain security systems at Israeli prisons that currently hold almost 6,000 Palestinian political prisoners. Palestinian and international human rights organisations have documented widespread torture and mistreatment of Palestinian political prisoners, including of children.
By maintaining security systems at Israel’s prisons, G4S assists Israel with its use of mass incarceration to deter Palestinians from protesting against Israel’s violations of international law. Through its involvement in prisons inside Israel, G4S is complicit in Israel’s violations of Article 76 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which prohibits the transfer of prisoners from occupied territory into the territory of the occupier.
● G4S provides equipment and services to checkpoints that make up the route of Israel’s Wall, ruled illegal by the International Court of Justice in 2004; to private businesses in illegal Israeli settlements and to Israeli police facilities in other Israeli government buildings in the occupied West Bank.
● G4S has provided equipment to checkpoints that enforce the siege of Gaza.
A legal study conducted by the Diakonia International Humanitarian Law Resource Centre found that G4S has “failed to demonstrate a genuine commitment to comply with international law in good faith” and outlined various ways in which G4S is not in compliance with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
A 2012 report by the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967 criticised G4S for its complicity with Israeli violations of international law.
While G4S has made various commitments to end some aspects of its participation in Israeli human rights violations, it has not yet met any of these commitments, and has instead tried to deflect criticism of its role in Israeli human rights violations, including by hiring known pro-Israel advocates to write legal analyses of its activities in Palestine/Israel. These analyses, commissioned by G4S, are neither independent nor credible.
G4S commits grave human rights violations across the world
As well as its participation in Israel’s human rights violations, G4S commits grave human rights violations across the world:
● G4S has been implicated in labour rights violations at several of its global sites. Official complaints under OECD guidelines from G4S sites in Malawi, Mozambique and South Africa (and others) led to a G4S commitment to workers’ rights in 2008, but despite this, in the following years G4S was implicated in labour rights abuses in Uganda, South Korea, and South Africa, demonstrating that G4S cannot be trusted to maintain the fair conditions that it formally agrees to.
● G4S has a dreadful track record of serious negligence and violent abuse in prisons it runs around the world. In the UK, G4S lost a contract for one of its multiple private prisons after evidence emerged of improper management of health care provision, suicide prevention and human rights protection. In South Africa, investigations exposed G4S security teams using electric shocks and forcible medical injections of anti-psychotic drugs at the Mangaung prison. In the United States, G4S operates juvenile detention facilities, provides infrastructure to track and confine formerly incarcerated people, and works alongside Homeland Security's Customs and Border Protection to detain and deport people across the U.S./Mexico border and to transfer immigrants to detention facilities across the country.
● G4S has also been criticised for its responsibility for deaths in custody during deportation and immigrant detention. In one well-known case, Angolan national Jimmy Mubenga was suffocated to death by three G4S guards while being deported in 2010. In another case, a Kenyan national Eliud Nguli Nyenze died at a G4S removal center run by G4S, after he was refused medicine earlier in the day despite his complaints of severe pain. G4S received 1,497 complaints in three years regarding its human rights record in these deportation institutions.
The obligation of the UN to uphold human rights
The UN Supplier Code of Conduct states “the UN expects its suppliers to support and respect the protection of internationally proclaimed human rights and to ensure that they are not complicit in human rights abuses”.
The UN Group on the Use of Mercenaries recently reported the risks of hiring companies with tarred human rights records.
We urge the UN to apply its own principles and standards and to end its relationship with G4S due to its clear and active role in human rights abuses.
Yours sincerely,
- Palestinian Human Rights Organizations Council (PHROC)
- Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association, Palestine
- Aldameer Association for Human Rights, Palestine
- Al-Haq, Palestine
- Al Mezan Center for Human Rights, Palestine
- BADIL - Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights, Palestine
- Center for Defense of Liberties and Civil Rights “Hurryaat”, Palestine
- Defence for Children International – Palestine
- Ensan Center for Democracy and Human Rights, Palestine
- Jerusalem Legal Aid and Human Rights Center, Palestine
- Ramallah Center for Human Rights Studies, Palestine
- Women’s Centre for Legal Aid and Counselling, Palestine
- The Palestinian Center for Human Rights, Palestine - Palestinian BDS National Committee, Palestine
- Al-Harah Theater, Palestine
- Global Campaign for Palestinian Political Prisoners, Palestine
- Alternative Information Center (AIC), Palestine/Israel
- Australian Friends of Palestine Association, Australia
- Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, Sydney University, Australia
- Coalition for Justice and Peace in Palestine (Sydney), Australia
- Association Belgo-Palestinienne, Belgium
- ECCP - European Coordination of Committees and Association for Palestine, Belgium
- Gents ActiePlatform Palestina, Belgium
- intal, Belgium
- Palestina solidariteit, Belgium
- Plate-forme Charleroi-Palestine, Belgium
- Solidarité Socialiste, Belgium
- Third World Health Aid, Belgium
- Vlaams-Socialistische Beweging (V-SB), Belgium
- Vrede vzw, Belgium
- BDS Vancouver - Coast Salish Territories, Canada
- Boycott Israeli Apartheid Campaign - Vancouver, Canada
- Camp Micah: Leadership for Peace and Justice, Canada
- Canada Palestine Association-Vancouver, Canada
- Citizens for Justice in the Middle East, Canada
- Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid (CAIA), Canada
- Educators for Justice, Canada
- Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network, Canada
- ICAHD Finland, Finland
- Association des Universitaires pour le Respect du Droit International en Palestine (AURDIP - Association of Academics for the Respect of International Law in Palestine), France,
- BDS Berlin, Germany
- German-Palestinian Association, Germany
- InCACBI (Indian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel), India
- Palestine Solidarity Committee in India, India
- Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign , Ireland
- Boycott! Supporting the Palestinian BDS Call from Within (Israeli citizens for BDS), Israel
- Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions - ICAHD, Israel
- ARCI, Italy
- Associazione di Amicizia Italo e Palestinese Onlus, Italy
- Associazione Sarda Contro l'Emarginazione (A.S.C.E.), Italy
- AssoPacePalestina, Italy
- BDS Italy, Italy
- Circolo SEL Aurelio Boccea Roma, Italy
- Comitato BDS Campania, Italy
- Comitato di Base NoMuos/NoSigonella (Catania), Italy
- Comitato Pistoiese per la Palestina, Italy
- Coordinamento Nord Sud del Mondo, Italy
- FIOM Cgil, Italy
- Forum Palestina, Italy
- Gruppi Informali, Italy
- International Tahir, Italy
- Lorusso Editore, Italy
- MAIA - Make An Impact Association ONLUS, Italy
- Palestina Rossa, Italy
- Rete Radié Resch di solidarietà internazionale-Udine group-Italy, Italy
- Salaam Ragazzi Dell'olivo Trieste, Italy
- Servizio Civile Internazionale, Italy
- U.S. Citizens for Peace & Justice - Rome, Italy
- ULAIA ArteSud onlus, Italy
- Un ponte per..., ITaly
- UnitiperlaPalestina, Italy
- AlBalad Theater, Jordan
- Arab Education Forum, Jordan
- Arab Society for the Protection of Nature , Jordan
- Arab Women Organization, Jordan
- BDS Jordan, Jordan
- Eibal Society, Jordan
- Health Care Workers Association, Jordan
- Independent Electricity Workers Association, Jordan
- Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Jordan, Jordan
- Jerusalem Forum, Jordan
- National Society for Freedom and Democracy in Jordan, Jordan
- Phenix Center, Jordan
- Taleeleh Society, Jordan
- Women for Jerusalem, Jordan
- Comité pour une Paix Juste au Proche-Orient (CPJPO), Luxembourg
- Association de Solidarité Maroc Palestine, Morocco
- Initiative BDS Maroc, Morocco
- Article1Collective, Netherlands
- docP, Netherlands
- Industri Energi, Norway
- Norsk Transportarbeiderforbund (Norwegian Transport Workers' Union), Norway
- Rød Ungdom of Norway, Norway
- Sosialistisk Ungdom, Norway
- The Association of Norwegian NGOs for Palestine, Norway
- BDS Slovenija, Slovenia
- BDS South Africa, South Africa
- Al-Quds Association for Solidarity with the People in Arab Countries, Spain
- Autonomas por Palestina - Spain, Spain
- BDS-Granada, Spain
- Red Antisionista, Spain
- RESCOP, Spain
- The Palestine Solidarity Association of Sweden, Sweden
- BDS Switzerland, Switzerland
- BDS Zürich, Switzerland
- Association of Palestinian Communities in Scotland, UK
- Beyond Borders North East (UK), UK
- Boycott Israel Network, UK
- Brent & Harrow PSC, UK
- Campaign Against Criminalising Communities (CAMPACC), UK
- Football Against Apartheid, UK
- Greater Manchester and District Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, UK
- Greater Manchester Stop G4S, UK
- Inminds, UK
- Jews for Boycotting Israeli Goods, UK
- Jews for Justice for Palestinians (JfJfP), UK
- King's College London Action Palestine, UK
- Leeds No Borders, UK
- Leicester Palestine Solidarity Campaign, UK
- London Palestine Action, UK
- Merton Palestine Solidarity Campaign, UK
- No To G4S Huddersfield, UK
- Palestine Alliance, UK
- Palestine Solidarity Campaign, UK
- Portsmouth & South Downs Palestine Solidarity Campaign, UK
- Right to Remain, UK
- Rochdale and Littleborough Peace Group, UK
- Southampton Students for Palestine, UK
- StopG4S, UK
- SYMAAG South Yorkshire Migration and Asylum Action Group, UK
- The Iona Community, UK
- Waltham Forest PSC, UK
- War on Want, UK
- We Own It, UK
- York Left Unity, UK
- 14 Friends of Palestine, Marin, US
- Adalah-NY: The New York Campaign for the Boycott of Israel, US
- Al-Awda: The Palestine Right to Return Coalition, US
- Al-Awda New York: the Palestine Right to Return Coalition, US
- Al-Nakba Awareness Project, US
- Albany-Corvallis Friends of Middle East Peace, US
- Amistad Law Project, US
- Ark of the Covenant, US
- Bay Area Women in Black, US
- BDS San Diego, US
- BDS-LA, for justice in Palestine, US
- Block The Boat Tampa, US
- Boston Coalition for Palestinian Rights, US
- Bryn Mawr Peace Coalition, US
- Carolina Peace Resource Center, US
- Chico Palestine Action Group, US
- Citizens for Justice in the Middle East, Kansas City, USA
- Coalición de Derechos Humanos, Tucson, US
- Code Pink Women for Peace, US
- Committee for Open Discussion of Zionism (CODZ), US
- Committee for Palestinian Rights (Howard County, MD), US
- Deir Yassin Society USA, US
- End Streamline Coalition, Tucson, US
- Facilitate Global, US
- Friends of Palestine WI, US
- Friends of Sabeel - Sacramento Region, US
- Friends of Sabeel North America, US
- Front Range Jewish Voice for Peace, US
- Grassroots International, US
- Indiana Center for Middle East Peace, US
- Institute for Policy Studies, New Internationalism Project, US
- International Action Center, US
- Jewish People's Liberation Organization, US
- Jewish Voice for Peace, US
- Jewish Voice for Peace - San Diego, US
- Jewish Voice for Peace - South Florida, US
- Jewish Voice for Peace - Tucson, US
- Jewish Voice for Peace Boston, US
- Jewish Voice for Peace -Atlanta, US
- Jewish Voice for Peace Milwaukee, US
- Jewish Voice for Peace--Colorado, US
- Jewish Voice for Peace-Portland, OR, US
- Jewish Voice for Peace, Bay Area Chapter, US
- Jewish Voice for Peace, Ithaca, NY, Chapter, US
- Jewish Voice for Peace, Philadelphia, US
- Jews for Palestinian Right of Return, US
- Jews Say No!, US
- Joining Hands for Justice in Israel & Palestine, US
- Keep Hope Alive Bay Area, US
- Labor for Palestine, US
- Lutherans for Justice in the Holy Land, US
- Madison-Rafah Sister City Project, US
- Massachusetts Peace Action, US
- Middle East Children's Alliance , US
- Middle East Crisis Response, US
- MidEast: JustPeace, US
- Minnesota Break the Bonds Campaign, US
- National Lawyers Guild, US
- New Yorkers Against the Cornell-Technion Partnership (NYACT), US
- North Coast Coalition for Palestine, US
- North Texas BDS, US
- Organization for Black Struggle, US
- Palestine Action Group, US
- Palestine Street Action, US
- Palestine-Israel Working Group of Nevada County, US
- pdxJustice Media Productions, US
- Peace Action Staten Island, US
- Peace by Piece, US
- People for Peace and Justice Sandusky County, US
- Peregrine Forum, US
- Racine Coalition for Peace and Justice, US
- Sabeel DC Metro, US
- Sacramento Regional Coalition for Palestinian Rights, US
- SJP at UC Irvine Chapter, US
- St. Louis Jewish Voice for Peace, US
- St. Louis Palestine Solidarity Committee, US
- Stanford Students for Justice in Palestine, US
- Students for Justice in Palestine at UC San Diego, US
- Students for Justice in Palestine, Rutgers University New Brunswick Campus, US
- The Dream Defenders, US
- The Philadelphia Coalition for Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions against Israel (Philly BDS), US
- Tribe X, US
- UCLA BlaQue Consciousness, US
- Unitarian Universalists for Justice in the Middle East, US
- United Church of Christ Palestine Israel Network, US
- United for Justice with Peace, US
- United Methodist Kairos Response, US
- United Methodist of Upper New York Task Force on Peace with Justice in Palestine/Israel, US
- United Methodists' Holy Land Task Force, US
- United States Palestinian Community Network (USPCN), US
- US Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel, US
- US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation, US
- Vancouver for Peace, US
- Vermonters for a Just Peace in Palestine/Israel, US
- Washington Interfaith Alliance for Middle East Peace, US
- WESPAC Foundation, US
- Wisconsin Middle East Lobby Group, US