In the past week, Al-Haq’s field researchers reported eight arrests by the Palestinian Authority (PA). Most of those detained were university students suspected of being affiliated with Hamas and who had previously been arrested several times by the PA security forces or by the Israeli occupying forces. Others were arrested for making political statements on social networking sites or for drawing satirical cartoons (see below). One of these, 23-year-old Hasan Wa’el ‘Abbadi, was arrested and accused of creating disunity through his drawings.

The arrests amount to the repeated violation of the individuals’ rights to freedom of expression and association. The infringement on such rights not only violates international law but also Palestinian Basic Law.

Hasan Wa’el ‘Abbadi – Nablus

On 8 April 2012, an officer from the Palestinian Preventive Security Forces delivered a summons to the family home of Hasan Wa’el ‘Abbadi (23 years old) in Sabastya village, north of Nablus. The document demanded that Hasan present himself at the Palestinian Preventive Security Forces premises in Nablus on 10 April.

Hasan’s brother, Yasin Wa’el ‘Abbadi, (22 years old), reported that his brother left the house two days later to go to the Palestinian Preventive Security Forces offices as directed at 9:00 am. Hasan, who is a student at the faculty of Arts of al-Najah University, is known to draw cartoons reflecting on political and social issues on campus.

On 11 April, Hasan’s lawyer, Reem al-Sayed, phoned Hasan’s family to inform them that Hasan had been arrested by the Palestinian Preventive Security Forces and had hired her to defend his case in the first instance court in Nablus the following day. The prosecutor requested that Hasan’s detention be extended for another 15 days to allow for a full investigation. At the time of writing, Hasan is still under arrest and there is a concern among his family that his graduation project is going to suffer as a result of his detention. (Al-Haq Affidavit No. 7258/2012)

Hasan’s case is just one example of the continued suppression of the right to freedom of expression by the PA. In recent weeks, at least three journalists were arrested on account of critical statements made against the PA. However, it is difficult to know exactly how many people have been detained in violation of the right to freedom of expression because victims, in many cases, are charged with or accused of penal offenses to mask the political motivation behind their arrest.