Mr.
Issam Younis, the Director of Al Mezan Center for Human Rights, and lawyer Jamil Serhan, the Coordinator of the Legal Aid Unit at the Center, held a meeting today, Tuesday 3 July 2007, with Dr.
Ahmed Bahar, the acting president of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) and three PLC members; Mr.
Ismail Al Ashqar, Mr.
Yousif Ash Shrafi, and Mr.
Jamal Nassar.
The meeting focused on the human rights situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT); and especially in the Gaza Strip, following Hamas' stretching of its security control of Gaza.
Al Mezan's delegation expressed the Center's concerns by the serious risks facing the Palestinian fundamental right to self-determination owing to the enforced separation between the two parts of OPT; Gaza and the West Bank.
Dr.
Bahar approved that he and the PLC shared the same concerns.
Despite the relative calm Gaza lives now, the Center's delegation stressed its distress over the rule of law; especially under the near full paralysis of the law enforcement establishment and its institutions.
They also raised the concerns regarding the numerous other issues that constitute violations of human rights; including arrests and detentions, places and procedures of detention, the taking over or closure of NGOs and confiscating their belongings as well as the confiscation of radio and TV stations' equipments.
Those hinder the rights to free participation in public life and freedom of expression.
Al Mezan's delegation also expressed concern by the increasing news about a possible decision by the cabinet to the effect that civil servants who work under parallel contracts might not be paid their salaries in line with the other civil servants.
This could create negative implications for 23,000 of such employees and their families.
It also stressed that the presidential decree concerning the re-licensing NGOs was contrary to Palestinian law.
Dr.
Bahar stressed the necessity of enforcing the law and ensuring that all decisions and procedures are made in compliance with its provisions.
He and the present PLC members promised to duly follow up the NGOs file.
They also welcomed the cooperation with Al Mezan and expressed the PLC's appreciation to the role it performs.
Al Mezan, while contented by the meeting, hopes that the PLC will deal with the concerns it raised during it.
The Center stresses that the maintenance of security and order must be based on respect of the rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms.
END