100 The Independent Commission for Human Rights - ICHR The ICHR notes a major rise in the number of complaints on administrative disputes, including promotion, pensions and financial benefits, in 2021 in comparison to 2021 (a total of 81 complaints, including 50 in the West Bank and 31 in the Gaza Strip). The high number of complaints on the financial benefits of civil servants is evidence that the MoF has not taken the required legal action to address the recurrent patterns of violations. Also, the MoF has not approved criteria and policies to handle civil servants’ complaints. It is worth noting that administrative disputes arising from civil service reflects the most significant patterns of impingements in public office, including in terms of elements of violations and procedures for complaints. Duty bearers continue to fail to pay particular attention to these grievances in line with relevant legal parameters and standards. 2.1.7.2.5 Noncompliance with the legal standards of suspension, removal and dismissal from civil service Including 26 in the West Bank and three in the Gaza Strip, the ICHR received 29 complaints on civil service, involving arbitrary dismissal of civil servants without adherence to the legal standards of suspension, removal, and dismissal from office. The ICHR documented an increasing number of complaints against arbitrary dismissal in comparison to 25 filed in 2020 (21 in the West Bank and 4 in the Gaza Strip). Patterns of complaints on violations continued to be on an upward trend. Breaches also maintained a stereotypical forms, including security clearance, freedom of opinion and expression, and other administrative reasons. This is an indication that the government public administration has continued to fail to adopt applicable legal standards in the suspension, removal, or dismissal from civil service. Procedures for internal oversight and accountability have not been put in place too. 2.1.7.3 Accountability for violations of the right to political participation and right to hold public office The GPC reportedly published and put into effect the Code of Conduct for the Civil Service in 2021. According to the GPC, relevant training was provided to a number of government bodies. Also, the Regulation on Disciplinary Investigations was adopted to ensure transparent, impartial and fair functions of the Disciplinary Investigations Committee. Involving the largest number of government bodies, the grades of all committee members will be equal to or higher than that of the civil servant under investigation. It was also required that a member of the committee be a legal practitioner to make sure that the committee is complaint with necessary legal processes and that it does not contradict the law on the establishment of disciplinary committees or its own functions. In 2021, the GPC developed the Regulation on Penal Cases to address all aspects of the situation of civil servants, against whom criminal cases are brought. According to the GPC data, the Council received 28 complaints on administrative disputes, including promotion, pensions, financial benefits, and arbitrary transference). The GPC handled and provided responses to complainants. Of these, 22 complaints were dismissed, reporting to complainants that they were not entitled to the claimed rights. Six were admitted, with the legal or administrative imbalance adjusted.95 On the other hand, the ICHR did not receive any information on the investigation committees the GPC established in 2021 or on the investigation results. 95 Ibid. The Situation of Human Rights in Palestine