The Center for the Defense of Liberties and Civil Rights “Hurryyat” held an important meeting with several institutions namely the Security Bodies, the human rights organizations, women organizations, members of parliament, along with the coordinator of the National and Islamic Forces Dr. Wasel Abu Yousef, executive committee member of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Abdul Rahim Mallouh, President of the Bar Hussein Shabaneh, and the organizations party to the Palestinian Human Rights Organizations Council (PHROC), and the Palestinian Coalition against Torture.
The sessions evolved around the importance of reinforcing respect to human rights and fighting torture and mistreatment through the complete dedication to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), the Palestinian Basic Law, and legislations of prevention and curation to ensure proper accountability and achieving equity, compensation, and rehabilitation to cases of torture or mistreatment through effective procedures.
Hurryyat Center is pleased to announce the final recommendations provided by the participants in these sessions who asserted their devotion towards putting them into action:
First: taking the necessary measures to combat any deed or practice of torture or mistreatment through rapid and effective investigation of the complaints and allegations.
Second: adapting the related Palestinian Legislations and the internal regulations where necessary to ensure its effective responsiveness to the responsibilities accumulated after Palestine’s accession to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT).
Third: reinforcing cooperation, developing effective instruments, and supporting communication through regular assessment sessions and meetings.
Fourth: following up with messages or complaints received by the human rights organizations for rapid and appropriate handling.
Fifth: the necessity of proceeding with the visits to detention and rehabilitation centers with further ease and facilities that will enable the formation of a national team to fill this role.
Sixth: spreading legal awareness concerning CAT and the dangerous consequences of committing any violation of the convention.
Seventh: preparing a list of the rights of individuals under arrest for it to be delivered to the individual upon arrest.
Eighth: reinforcing the trust between the citizens and the security bodies through encouraging transparency and openness to the public to alter prevalent previous preconceptions.
Ninth: communicating through various media to form a controversial discussion of human rights in general, and torture and mistreatment in particular.