Cairo January 30, 2013

The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI), deplores the use of excessive violence to disperse a peaceful march of Palestinian activists by the Israeli occupation forces on Saturday January 26, 2013 in the village of “Anin”.

The Israeli occupation forces used excessive force to disperse the peaceful march, which started from Jenin towards the village of Anin, as they threw tear gas bomb heavily, which led to the injury of dozens of demonstrators due to suffocation and therefore the fainting in creased. They also threw a lot of stun grenades at the demonstrators, in addition to beat them, as happened with the MP Jamal Howael. The occupation  forces also ended its repression by arresting dozens of protesters. The two brothers of the detainee on hunger striker Youssef Shaaban were arrested. While they are in their way to the village of Anin, they have found  that the Israeli occupation forces have established checkpoints to close all the entrances in addition to intransigent practices, such as the prevention of citizens who do not have identity cards from entering the village.

It should be noted, that the march, which started from Jenin, aimed to establish the village of “Breaking the constraints” that several institutions concerned with the affairs of the detainees decided to set it up, near the near El-Dam wall then to expand on the west of Anin. Several prominent figures participated in the march.

ANHRI said that “the occupation forces assaulted the peaceful demonstration is a serious violation to the human right to expression and peaceful assembly. It is also a serious violation to the provisions of the international law that allowed the peaceful marches during the occupation and guaranteed it”.

ANHRI added that “the right to peaceful assembly is guaranteed by Article no. 21 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights as it has recognized the right to peaceful assembly and banned the restrictions on this practice, except in case of necessity and by the limits set by the law in the democratic society in order to preserve the public security, morals.  The peaceful march in which the peaceful activists and Palestinian leaders participated in, doesn’t represent a threaten to the security of Israel, to be assaulted by the occupation forces”.

ANHRI calls on the forces to stop assaulting the peaceful demonstration and immediately release all the detainees and cure the injured people from its pocket and bare all the responsibility of the health deterioration.

Also available in : العربية