Al Mezan condemns the detention of the Palestinian parliamentary speaker, and demands the immediate release of all detained Palestinian ministers and parliamentarians

On 8 July, at approximately 9:30pm, the IOF detained the Palestinian parliamentary speaker, Dr Aziz Dweik, after storming and searching his house in Ramallah.
This action is the second of its kind since 29 June, when the IOF detained 8 Palestinian ministers and 21 members of parliament.
Al Mezan condemns the detentions targeting elected representatives and political leaders of the Palestinian people, and emphasizes that this action is part of a series of measures of collective punishment.
Through these measures, Israel is aiming to undermine the Palestinian National Authority and disable it from performing its executive functions.
Al Mezan asserts that this will consequently reinforce the state of insecurity in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and lead to a further deterioration of the human rights situation on the ground, particularly under the continuing IOF aggression targeting Palestinian civilians and their property in the OPT, which require exceptional efforts in response by the PNA and the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC).
The abusive detention of Palestinian ministers and parliamentarians will debilitate the Palestinian government and suspend the functions of the PLC.
Al Mezan calls upon the International community to immediately secure the release of Palestinian parliamentary speaker Dr Aziz Dweik and his colleagues.
It also reiterates its demands that the international community, most notably the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention, fulfill its legal and moral obligations, halt Israeli war crimes and provide protection to Palestinian civilians in the OPT.
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