where there is not enough courtroom space for cases involving more than ten defendants, or Betlehem, where the cell where defendants had to wait for their case to be called was in need for urgent maintenance. The premises of the Ramallah First Instance Court are particularly problematic: the courtroom is small and overcrowded. Defendants are seated next to the public, by the entrance. The elevator by which they are brought to the floor where the courtroom is located is tiny, and this often caused delays, especially in cases involving multiple defendants. There is no dedicated place to keep voluminous case files, which are sometimes placed on the floor. Court insufficient size and overcrowding are issues that will likely be exacerbated in the near future due to public health concerns related to the COVID-19 infection. ISTIQLAL believes that more efforts are needed by the Palestinian government to ensure that courts are provided with adequate resources and premises to operate efficiently and safely. 26