Israel indispensable safeguard quality rights activists successful the Occupied Palestinian Territory and wrong its borders, a UN-appointed adept said connected Wednesday. 

Mary Lawlor, Special Rapporteur connected the concern of quality rights defenders, expressed interest implicit arrests, harassment, criminalization and threats targeting these individuals. 

“Arrests and raids connected the homes of Palestinian quality close defenders signifier portion of a wider crackdown against those defending the quality rights of Palestinians successful the Occupied Palestinian Territory,” she said. 

Arrests, forcible transfers 

Ms. Lawlor was alarmed by the arbitrary apprehension and detention of Farid Al-Atrash, a quality rights defender and lawyer astatine the Independent Commission for Human Rights (ICHR). 

Mr. Al-Atrash was detained by Israeli subject forces aft peacefully participating successful a objection successful Bethlehem connected 15 June and released connected bail 8 days later. 

The rights adept besides voiced interest implicit the forcible transportation of Palestinians surviving successful the Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan neighbourhoods successful Jerusalem. 

“Muna Al-Kurd, Mohammed Al-Kurd and Zuhair Al Rajabi, quality rights defenders astatine the forefront of protecting their communities against forced displacement, person been arrested and interrogated,” she said. 

Another activist, Salah Hammouri, a Palestinian-French quality rights defender and lawyer, is besides astatine hazard of having his imperishable residency licence successful Jerusalem revoked. 

Concern for jailed activists 

“I americium shocked that members of the Health Work Committee, who supply wellness services to Palestinians surviving successful distant areas of the West Bank, were arrested, interrogated and whitethorn beryllium criminalised due to the fact that of their quality rights work,” Ms. Lawlor added. 

Three Committee unit are presently successful prison. Director Shatha Odeh and erstwhile task coordinator, Juana Ruiz Sánchez, are being held successful 1 facility, portion accountant Tayseer Abu Sharbak, is successful another.   They are being tried connected charges of participating successful what has been described arsenic “an amerciable organisation”, said Ms. Lawlor 

She called connected Israel to instantly merchandise them, and to analyse allegations of sick attraction against the 2 women rights defenders. 

“The deteriorating wellness of Odeh and the solitary confinement of Sánchez are highly worrying,” the UN adept said, noting that the rights defender, who has chronic underlying wellness conditions, had initially been denied entree to indispensable medicine and cleanable clothes.  

Ms. Lawlor underlined the value of safeguarding Palestinian quality rights defenders successful the Occupied Palestinian Territory, particularly those who are protecting their communities’ rights to housing, healthcare and state of assembly and association.  

  “I telephone connected the authorities to halt targeting these quality rights defenders and let them to transportation retired their morganatic and peaceful enactment escaped from immoderate benignant of restrictions,” she said. 

Ms. Lawlor’s entreaty came successful a statement, which has been endorsed by 10 different autarkic experts who besides person their mandates from the UN Human Rights Council successful Geneva. 

They are neither UN staff, nor are they paid by the Organization.