AMAN Coalition for Accountability and Integrity followed up the case of Palestinian journalist Mervat Al-Azzeh with great concern after her complaint on being harassed in a private hospital in Bethlehem. AMAN’s concern about this matter comes in light of its ongoing calls for preventing public service corruption (especially gender-based corruption), whether in public institutions or inside private organizations providing public services.
The Coalition encourages developing and applying protective measures to prevent workplace blackmail and sexual harassment, where power and positions are abused for personal benefits. Hence, it constantly urges to criminalize workplace sexual harassment and blackmail, in accordance with the Anti-Corruption Law. This is vital because such crimes are being covertly perpetrated in a way that prevents numerous victims from raising them publicly. It is also difficult to file complaints to expose such crimes due to inadequate protection policies and legislations. This situation is further exacerbated by the ineffective complaint systems which disregard gender aspects, as well as the dominant societal culture.
AMAN Coalition is urging the Ministry of Health and the Public Prosecution to tackle the case of journalist Al-Azzeh in line with due diligence standards, while maintaining transparent and fair procedures in examining this case. It is also important to publish the results of investigations carried out by the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
AMAN Coalition calls upon societal parties to stop pressuring victims to repeal their complaints and provide safeguards for breaking the silence about crimes against women. The Coalition welcomes the Ministry of Health’s request to form an external committee to investigate this incident. It also encourages the adoption of suitable policies and measures that prevent gender-based corruption. Moreover, it promotes the adoption of complaint submission mechanisms related to sexual harassment, along with maintaining the protection, confidentiality, and privacy of complainants to prevent retaliation against them. It is also imperative to establish protection and support networks to raise awareness about sexual harassment and properly address that crime, as well as providing legal and psychosocial support services to complainants and victims.
AMAN Coalition reaffirms its demands, as the said crime occurred in a private health service facility. Thus, we call upon the State of Palestine to fulfil its obligations arising from acceding to the United Nations Convention against Corruption. Therefore, local Palestinian legislations should be in conformity with the provisions of that convention. There is also a need to criminalize more cases of private sector corruption, including nepotism and favoritism; failure to disclose cases of conflict of interest; and workplace blackmail and sexual harassment.
