The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) is deeply concerned over the closure of non-governmental organizations and the confiscation of their contents by the Internal Security Service (ISS) in Gaza City and Rafah in the past two days. PCHR demands security services to put an end to their interventions into the affairs of non-governmental organizations and to respect the right to form associations, which is guaranteed by the Palestinian Basic Law and international human rights standards.
According to investigations conducted by PCHR, on Monday morning, 31 May 2010, an ISS member in Rafah raided offices of four organizations, searched them, and confiscated some of their contents. These organizations targeted in the raid are: Bonat al-Mustaqbal Association, South Society for Women Health, Woman and Child Development Association, and Sharek Youth Forum. On the evening of the same day, the ISS returned to the offices of the aforementioned associations with members of the Palestinian police and took the office keys from the persons responsible for the office, informing the office personnel that that the ISS had a decided to close their association.
Similarly, at approximately 15:00 on Monday, 31 May 2010, ISS members arrived at the main office of Sharek Youth Forum in al-Shuhada Street in the center of Gaza City. They searched the offices and confiscated some computer sets, cameras, and files.
On Tuesday morning, 01 June 2010, ISS members in Rafah closed the offices of another two organizations, Palestinian Young Parliament and the National Reconciliation Commission, the latter of which serves as an assembly of Mukhtars and reconciliation figures in Rafah.
It should be noted that an officer from the Charitable Organizations Department in the Interior Directorate in Rafah stated to a PCHR fieldworker that the Department does not have any connection with the reported closures. No prior coordination had been made between the Ministry of Interior and the ISS in this regard, he added.
PCHR expresses its grave concern over the closure of the organizations mentioned above and over the interventions into their affairs by the security services. Furthermore, PCHR:
1- Stresses that appropriate legal procedures must be followed in dealing with charitable organizations, and PCRH affirms that interventions into the affairs of such organizations by the security services constitute a violation of the Law of Charitable Associations and Community Organizations no. 1 of 2000 and its executive bill.
2- Reiterates the importance of the right to form associations as a constitutional right guaranteed by the Palestinian Basic Law and relevant international standards.
3- Points out the importance of civil society organizations and the roles the constitute in serving affairs of the Palestinian society, especially in view of the tightened closure imposed on the Gaza Strip. PCHR expects that wider spaces be ensured for the work of civil society organizations and more suitable environments be created for public freedoms so that civil society organizations can play their role in serving the Palestinian society in this critical stage.