UN Expert Urges End to Targeting of Human Rights Defenders in the Occupied West Bank

“All five defenders were detained without a warrant, given no reasons for their detention, and were interrogated without legal representation. They were denied contact with their families,” Lawlor stated.

UN Special Rapporteur Mary Lawlor has condemned the ongoing targeting of human rights defenders in the Occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem by Israeli authorities. In a recent statement, Lawlor highlighted the troubling cases of five defenders currently subjected to administrative detention without charge, including prolonged detention and ill treatment.

Lawlor brought attention to the cases of Bassem Tamimi, Omar al-Khatib, Baraa Odeh, Sumoud Mtair, and Diala Ayesh, who were arrested between October 2023 and March 2024. These individuals have faced administrative detention for periods of four to six months, with indefinite renewals. As of now, two of them remain in detention.

Bassem Tamimi, an activist from Ramallah, is known for organizing peaceful protests against the occupation of Palestinian lands. Omar al-Khatib, from Jerusalem, advocates against the eviction of Palestinian families from Sheikh Jarrah. Baraa Odeh from Bethlehem works on youth rights, Sumoud Mtair from Hebron is involved in the Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign, and Diala Ayesh, a human rights lawyer, documents detention conditions of Palestinian prisoners.

“All five defenders were detained without a warrant, given no reasons for their detention, and were interrogated without legal representation. They were denied contact with their families,” Lawlor stated.

Reports indicate that four of the detainees experienced physical abuse, including being slapped, beaten, and subjected to humiliating conditions. They were frequently transferred between prisons and forced to sign documents in Hebrew, which they could not understand. The three women detainees were reportedly held in poor conditions, receiving inadequate food and living in unsanitary cells.

Lawlor also expressed grave concern over Bassem Tamimi’s deteriorating health during detention. Tamimi, who suffers from a chronic illness, did not receive necessary medication or adhere to his specialized diet.

“The use of administrative detention without charge, based on secret evidence, and the delays or lack of access to legal representation and family contact highlight the absence of due process rights,” Lawclor said.

She called on the Israeli authorities to adhere to fair trial standards, demanding the immediate release of the remaining detainees and all other human rights defenders held for their peaceful activities. Lawlor urged the Israeli government to align detention practices with international conventions and declarations prohibiting ill treatment.

The UN Special Rapporteur's remarks underscore ongoing international concerns regarding the treatment of human rights defenders and the need for accountability and adherence to human rights standards.