The Commission received (18) complaints about the violation of the right to peaceful assembly,
of which (3) complaints from the West Bank and (15) complaints from the Gaza Strip. The different
complaints that the ICHR received ranged from physical abuse to participants, dispersing peaceful
gatherings and preventing peaceful meetings, the nature of which was entirely economic or
political.
The total number of complaints for 2019 indicates to a decline compared to the previous year,
when (46) complaints were recorded. However, the number of complaints filed by the Gaza Strip
citizens increased from (8) in 2018 to (15) in 2019, and the number of complaints in the West Bank
dropped from (38) in 2018 to (3) in 2019.
The ICHR’s follow up showed that the relevant official actors took no action to ensure protection
for the right to peaceful assembly, while noting that in the Gaza Strip, the competent authorities
continue imposing restrictions on holding public meetings in closed places and condition allowing
that with obtaining organizers to prior permission. Additionally, there are verbal orders to owners
of halls to book any hall before the organizers obtain a prior permit for holding the activity, in
violation to the Law No. (12) on public meetings, which doesn’t state for obtaining any permits or
licenses if meetings are held in closed places.
The Commission emphasizes its previous recommendations, contained in its annual report No.
(XXIV), as well as the need for the security services and the Ministry of Interior to abide by the
provisions of Law No. 12 of 1998 on public meetings, which limits dealing with public meetings
to be within the jurisdiction of the police, with the need to emphasize that members of the security
services in civilian outfit should be prohibited from carrying out operational tasks in the dispersal
of peaceful gatherings, and that the security services in the Gaza Strip must abide by the provisions
of Law No. 12 of 1998 on public meetings. They should be prevented from carrying out operational
tasks in interfering with public meetings in closed doors, while the public prosecutor's office and
the judiciary, which are competent in accordance with the law, should investigate in accordance
with the law, any incident affecting the right to peaceful assembly in the State of Palestine, in
addition to publicly release the results of such investigation, as well as ensure accountability of
those found guilty of attacking participants in peaceful gatherings or using excessive force contrary
to instructions.
The seventh subject: The Right to Association
During 2019, (38) applications were submitted for registration in the Gaza Strip, (28) applications
were accepted, (9) were submitted in the process of registration, one application was rejected,
mainly for technical reasons related to incomplete registration documents. The data from the
Ministry of Interior in Gaza indicate that it has dissolved (15) associations this year, on various
grounds, (5) associations dissolved on grounds of administrative irregularities, two public
associations and two non-active groups. 28
The ICHR’s researcher interviewed Mr. Ayman Ayesh, Director General of the General Administration of 28
Public Affairs and Non-Governmental Organizations at the Ministry of Interior in Gaza, on 01/22/2019.