Press Statement by the Independent Commission for Human Rights (Board of Grievances) on the Criminal Prosecution against AMAN Coalition
The Independent Commission for Human Rights (Board of Grievances) condemns the criminal prosecution of AMAN Coalition’s Board of Directors Advisor for Anti-Corruption Affairs Dr. Azmi Shuaibi, and its Executive Director Mr. Issam Haj-Hussein. This took place against the background of AMAN’s 2022 report on the status of integrity and anti-corruption and the related conference that presented that report.
The ICHR believes that AMAN Coalition simply exercised its oversight work on official institutions in accordance with the law, and that taking this case to court constitutes a restriction on the freedom of civil action and freedom of opinion and expression guaranteed by the law. This act also contravenes with the provisions of international agreements signed by the State of Palestine, especially the freedom of association and the independence of their work.
Therefore, the Independent Commission for Human Rights (ICHR) calls on all relevant public authorities which believe that the information in that report was incorrect to respond publicly to it and not resort to the punitive path. The ICHR therefore calls to stop all criminal prosecutions related to this matter and to drop the charges against AMAN’s senior personnel. The ICHR also asks to enable monitoring and oversight institutions to implement their duty accordingly.
