The European Union has expressed concern over the arrests of activists by the Palestinian Authority.
On 21 and 22 August, Palestinian security forces arrested dozens of Palestinian activists in Ramallah who were taking part in protests calling for transparency in the investigation and for the prosecution of those responsible for the killing last June of political activist Nizar Banat, a leading critic of 86-year-old Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. While several arrested protesters were released on Sunday, some have been kept in custody.
‘’These events, as well as reports of ill-treatment, are of concern and take place against the backdrop of reports of an increase in apparently politically motivated arrests by the Palestinian Authority over the past few months,’’ the EU representative said in a statement issued on Tuesday in agreement with the EU Heads of Mission in Jerusalem and Ramallah. The Heads of Mission of Norway, Switzerland and the United Kingdom associate themselves with this statement.
‘’The EU and like-minded missions firmly expect the Palestinian Authority to meet the standards of the International Human Rights conventions to which they have acceded, including on freedom of expression, as well as freedom of association and assembly,’’ the statement said.
‘’Violence against peaceful human rights defenders, activists and protesters is unacceptable. The EU and like-minded missions call on the Palestinian Authority to swiftly conclude the investigation of the death of Nizar Banat in a fully transparent manner, and to ensure that those responsible are held accountable,’’ it said.
Nearly two dozen Palestinian civil society groups issued a statement warning of “a dangerous decline in rights and public freedoms” and holding Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh responsible “his failure to protect the rights of citizens”.
Anger followed President Abbas’s decision to indefinitely postpone elections scheduled for May and July, which would have been the first such Palestinian elections in 15 years.
Abbas said the elections could not go ahead until Israel agreed to allow voting in east Jerusalem, but Palestinian analysts said the president baulked when it looked like his Fatah movement was heading for defeat.