Bisan Center for Research and Development is relieved to announce its Director Ubai Aboudi has been released by the Israeli General Security Service (Shabak). Mr. Ubai Aboudi has been constantly….
Bisan Center for Research and Development is relieved to announce its Director Ubai Aboudi has been released by the Israeli General Security Service (Shabak). Mr. Ubai Aboudi has been constantly refused traveling outside the occupied West Bank. In the most recent attempt on Wednesday, 30 August 2023, Israeli forces denied him entrance to Palestine neighboring country Jordan. And following this denial, Mr. Aboudi was summoned this morning for an interrogation by Israeli intelligence.
Although we are comforted by Mr. Aboudi’s release – he is safe and well with his family – his detention proves the daily human rights violations and war crimes by the Israeli occupation forces. In fact, after denying his right to freedom of movement, Mr. Aboudi was summoned for interrogation and was instead detained for one hour and fifteen minutes in harsh physical circumstances. The occupied West Bank is undergoing an exceptional heat wave and Mr. Aboudi was forced to stand in the stroking sun, without water, shadow or sitting facilities. And the interview never even took place!
The measure of travel banning someone without a reason, summoning him for interrogation and detain him without any interview is clearly an intimidation tactic by the Israeli intelligence to harass Palestinian civil society. Aboudi’s experience is in fact not based on any legal ground nor any factual evidence was provided to justify any of these circumstances. It once more shows the arbitrary control that Israeli forces have over Palestinians and which results in a systematic violation of their rights. The intimidation of Mr. Aboudi is part of the wider attack on Palestinian civil society and human rights defenders; this has dramatically shrunk the space for civil society organizations and activists to advocate and defend Palestinian rights.
We urgently call upon the international community, including governments, human rights organizations, civil society and human rights defenders to take immediate action against this repression and hold the Israeli Occupation forces accountable for their violations. Exercise pressure on local governments and civil society organizations in order to protect Palestinian rights and the free operation of Palestinian civil society.