Front Line is concerned following reports that a travel ban has been imposed on Mr Shawan Jabarin, General Director of Al Haq, an independent Palestinian non-governmental organisation based in Ramallah, West Bank. Al Haq was established in 1979, has special consultative status with the United Nations, and works to protect and promote human rights and the rule of law in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT).

Further Information

Shawan Jabarin was scheduled to travel to the Netherlands on 13 March 2009 to collect a human rights prize on behalf of Al Haq. No formal order has been issued, nor have the authorities explained why the travel restrictions have been imposed. The Israeli High Court of Justice allegedly rejected a petition to overturn the travel ban on the basis of “secret evidence”, which was not disclosed to Shawan Jabarin or his legal advisors.

Since October 2006, Israeli authorities have reportedly denied Shawan Jabarin permission to leave the West Bank for human rights conferences in different countries. However, between 1999 and February 2006, before Shawan Jabarin became General Director of Al Haq, he was allowed to leave the West Bank on eight separate occasions.

Front Line believes that the travel ban has been imposed on Shawan Jabarin because of his legitimate and peaceful work in the defence of human rights as General Director of Al Haq. Front Line is concerned that, while the ban is in place, Shawan Jabarin's work in this field will be hindered.