During these raids, the offices of all three organizations were ransacked, and their computers, files and video equipment were stolen.

 

From Addameer’s offices four computers, a hard drive, a video camera and business cards of the employees were taken. It remains unclear as to the amount of Addameer files and documentation also taken. Posters of prisoners and hunger strikers were also ripped from the walls and strewn around the office.

 

The Palestinian NGO Network office was ransacked, though it appears that no equipment was taken. However, it is still unclear whether data was pulled from the server.

 

During the raid of the Union of Palestinian Women’s Committee, located in Qaddoura refugee camp in Ramallah, seven computers were taken, as well as the main servers and a number of cameras. In addition, 3000 NIS (about US$ 790) was stolen.

 

PHROC is deeply concerned about the targeting of civil society organizations, especially those that work in defense of human rights.

 

PHROC recognizes this brutal raid as part of the continuous campaign to target and hinder the work of human rights organizations and their supporters, as well as to gather information on the employees of civil society organizations.

 

In October, Ayman Nasser, a researcher with Addameer, was arrested for his work defending human rights and standing in solidarity with prisoners. To date Ayman remains in Israeli detention. Similarly, during the hunger strikes in 2011 and 2012, Addameer chairperson Abdullatif Ghaith was issued a travel ban preventing him from traveling within the West Bank and abroad.

 

This most recent IOF attack on civil society organizations is an attempt to silence and threaten human rights initiatives for Palestinians. PHROC calls on the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, the International Committee of the Red Cross and international human rights organizations to pressure the Occupying Power to end such attacks and crimes against Palestinian human rights, legal and civil institutions. Palestinian civil society will not be deterred by these continuous attacks and will continue our work as long as human rights are being violated in occupied Palestine territory.

 

 

	Addameer Prisoners’ Support and Human Rights Association Sahar Francis General Director		Aldameer Association for Human Rights Khalil Abu Shammala General Director
	Al-Haq Shawan Jabarin General Director		Al Mezan Center for Human Rights Issam Younis General Director
	Badil Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights Najwa Darwish General Director		Defence for Children International Palestine Section Rifat Kassis General Director
	Ensan Center for Human Rights and Democracy Shawqi Issa General Director		Hurryyat - Centre for Defense of Liberties and Civil Rights Helmi Al-araj General Director
	Jerusalem Center for Legal Aid and Human Rights Issam Aruri General Director		Ramallah Center for Human Rights Studies Iyad Barghouti General Director
	Women’s Centre for Legal Aid and Counselling Maha Abu Dayyeh General Director