By Visto International for Rights and Development, in cooperation with Geneva International Centre for Justice (GICJ), Yabous Center for Consulting and Strategic Studies (Palestine), Law for Palestine Organisation (UK), and the International Organisation for the Elimination of All Form of Racial Discrimination (EAFORD), invites you for the important webinar on:
The Impact of Covid-19 on Palestinian Prisoners:
The Urgent Need for International Protection
Speakers:
- Michael Lynk, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in the Palestinian Territories Occupied since 1967
- Abeer Baker, Lawyer of Palestinian prisoners and detainees
- Qadri Abu Baker: Head of the Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees’ Affairs /Palestine
- Ihsan Adel: Chair of Law for Palestine Organisation (LFP)
Moderator
Naji Haraj
Executive Director of Geneva International Centre for Justice (GICJ)
Time:
Thursday 6 August 2020, at 18:00 (Jerusalem time), 17:00 (Geneva time), 15:00 (GMT)
CONCEPT NOTE
Despite repeated warnings against a COVID-19 outbreak among Palestinian prisoners in Israeli detention and the high risk to prisoners in vulnerable groups, the prison authorities of the occupying power have neglected to take appropriate protections, safeguards, and precautionary measures. Consequently, we are at the precipice of an outbreak in these prisons and as warned, vulnerable groups are already facing the greatest risks. Palestinian prisoner Kamal Abu Wa’ar, who suffers from throat cancer, was diagnosed with COVID-19 in early July 2020 and according to the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club, he is in a critical condition.
At the 44th session of the Human Rights Council (June 2020), the Special Rapporteur, Mr. Michael Lynk presented his report (A/HRC/44/60) which cautioned that “… vulnerable groups, particularly Palestinian prisoners, including children, older persons and those with chronic conditions, remain very exposed to infection with the virus. Israel, as the occupying power, remains primarily responsible for ensuring the right to health of Palestinians and ensuring that all preventive measures are utilized to combat the spread of the pandemic.” It appears that his warnings have fallen on deaf ears and are not being taken seriously by Israeli prison authorities in the occupied Palestinian territories.
The detainees’ commission/Palestine has called on the Red Cross and the WHO to intervene to release prisoners who may be more susceptible to the coronavirus. According to the commission, there are 5,000 Palestinians currently held in Israeli prisons, including 700 who are sick.
The webinar will feature expert discussions on the international law standards on the protections to be afforded to Palestinian prisoners by Israeli authorities as the occupying power, identify factors that increase the risk of COVID-19 spreading among Palestinian prisoners, and elaborate on the safeguards that must be taken to guarantee their protection. The discussions will have a specific focus on the need to guarantee the protection of most vulnerable Palestinian prisoners and the urgent need for international protection, and will be followed by an interactive dialogue.
The seminar will be broadcast live on the following links:
English:
Visto International For Rights and Development
https://twitter.com/VistoInt
Geneva International Centre for Justice (GICJ)
Arabic:
Law for Palestine
https://www.facebook.com/Law4Palestine/
Geneva International Centre for Justice (GICJ)
https://twitter.com/geneva4justice
Yabous Center for Consulting and Strategic Studies
https://www.facebook.com/YabousPs/
