Addameer Condemns the Arrest of 19 Students from An-Najah University

Ramallah – 26/8/2015 – Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association condemns the wave of political arrests held by Palestinian security forces in which 19 students from An-Najah University in Nablus were arrested in the aftermath of their participation in new student welcome events organized by the Islamic Bloc in the University.

Addameer believes that such a step by the Palestinian security forces is only a continuation to the targeting of the Palestinian university students which started in the midst of the student council elections in the West Bank during May during which the Palestinian security forces targeted students affiliated with the Islamic Bloc in these universities. The Palestinian security forces continue to base these campaigns against students in accordance to their political affiliation.

Addameer stresses that the practices committed by the Palestinian Authority’s security forces are a grave violation of the right of expression which are is by the amended Palestinian Basic Law under Article 11 and the right to hold political opinions as enshrined under article 26. These campaigns further violate the right to education as enshrined under Article 24(1) and 24(3) of the amended Palestinian Basic Law, in addition to violating Articles 9, 18 and 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and Article 13 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights both which the Palestinian authority has ratified in 2014.

The increase in political arrests campaigns, which includes the arrest of former Palestinian detainees and prisoners released from Israeli occupation prisons, and the use of torture and other forms of cruel, inhuman, degrading or humiliating treatment following the ratification of several international human rights conventions signifies the lack of clear regulations provided to Palestinian security forces and disregarding the consequences of ratifying these human rights treaties.

Addameer calls for the immediate release of all Palestinian arbitrarily detained by the Palestinian security forces and for the Palestinian political establishment to ensure the respect of the rule of law as well as public freedoms and human rights.