Stephen asks government to support Palestinian human rights defenders
Stephen has written to the Foreign Secretary, Dominic Raab, asking that his department protect the rights of Palestinian human rights defendants.
The letter followed publication of a report by War on Want which found that Palestinians in the West Bank living under Israeli occupation were often governed by military orders that severely restricted their political and civil rights. The orders also prohibit political and cultural expression and association, and non-violent protest.
A number of Palestinian human rights defenders standing up for Palestinian rights have been explicitly targeted by Israel in the last year. Many have been arrested, detained and prosecuted in military courts.
Speaking about the letter, Stephen said “I am troubled by the findings in the report published by War on Want.
“It is unacceptable that those standing up for the rights of Palestinians are being targeted by the Israeli authorities. I will be interested to see what the Foreign Secretary makes of the allegations.”