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40 actions to celebrate ISHR’s 40th anniversary
We are celebrating longstanding and collective efforts in supporting human rights defenders. Join us and find out more!
Photo: Instagram - MonaKurd.15 - Human rights defender Mona Al-Kurd and other residents of the East Jerusalem neighbourhood of Sheikh Jarrah celebrate the last day of the holy month of Ramadan
ISHR is appalled by the worsening acts of aggression and grave human rights violations in the occupied Palestinian territories - including East Jerusalem - as well as against Palestinian citizens across Israel. We call for an immediate ceasefire and for all people to enjoy the rights to freedom, dignity, equality and justice.
Fueled by decades of occupation, systemic discrimination and settler colonialism, the current escalation was triggered by Israel’s continued measures to forcibly displace and transfer Palestinians from occupied East Jerusalem as is the case in the neighbourhood of Sheikh Jarrah. This is combined with the excessive use of force by Israeli forces against Palestinians like Sheikh Jarrah residents Muna and Muhammad Al-Kurd who have been peacefully protesting, along with other members of the community and activists, against illegal eviction orders to forcibly transfer them from their homes. Israeli forces have also used excessive force during the holy month of Ramadan against thousands of Palestinians seeking to pray in the Al-Aqsa mosque in the Old City of Jerusalem.
We stand in solidarity with Palestinian human rights defenders advocating for the rights to self-determination and non-discrimination, to land and protection against forcible displacement, and for an end to and accountability for Israel’s crimes against humanity of apartheid and persecution. We call on the ICC to include in its ‘investigation of the situation of Palestine’ the forcible displacements from occupied Palestinian territory and possible war crimes in the Gaza Strip in offensives that systematically target, kill and injure civilians – as well as destroy their property and infrastructure.
We equally stand in solidarity with Israeli human rights defenders demanding that Israeli authorities respect international law, end systemic discrimination and inequality, withdraw from Palestinian territories, ensure that any use of force is strictly necessary and proportionate, and guarantee the rights of Palestinians to live with freedom, dignity and peace.
ISHR will work together with other civil society organisations to ensure that this situation is considered by the UN Human Rights Council, informed by the voices and demands of human rights defenders from the region.
We are celebrating longstanding and collective efforts in supporting human rights defenders. Join us and find out more!
A spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, issued today a rare public statement on his Office’s work on China, marking two years since the release of its groundbreaking report on the grave human rights situation in the Uyghur region (Xinjiang).
Pressure is increasing on the Venezuelan authorities as human rights bodies and States in the region and beyond denounce repression and call for respect of rights. At the upcoming Human Rights Council session, the push for the respect of rights must continue with the renewal of key mandates.