GENEVA, September 9, 2020 –  Ahead of a United Nations debate next week on arbitrary detention, a coalition of 70 NGOs led by UN Watch announced today—as reported by Agence France Press—that it lodged a legal complaint with the UN to demand the release of a Palestinian peace activist in Gaza jailed by Hamas for organizing a Zoom video call between Israeli and Palestinian peace activists. Rami Aman now faces increased danger due to fears of the coronavirus spreading in prison in Gaza.

The legal complaint to the UN’s Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, an independent tribunal of five experts, was submitted by UN Watch as part of a cross-regional coalition of more than 70 UN-accredited non-governmental organizations from numerous countries including Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Ghana, India, Japan, Nigeria, Morocco, Pakistan, Switzerland and the United States. (See list of NGOs in annex to complaint.)

The NGOs intend to raise the case of Rami Aman at the UN Human Rights Council next week when the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention appears before the 47-nation plenary for an interactive dialogue on September 18th.

The UN experts' rulings are not legally binding, but are cited by judges worldwide and can exert pressure on governments to release those imprisoned without due process.

“Hamas's arbitrary and unlawful arrest and detention of Mr. Aman for the crime of 'normalization' is part of a pattern of repression and intimidation against dissidents who dare to speak out against the authoritarian regime,” said Hillel Neuer, director of the Swiss human rights group UN Watch, one of the 70 signatories of the appeal.

“Our complaint seeks to hold Hamas and the Palestinian Authority, which claims jurisdiction in Gaza, accountable for the wrongful imprisonment of Mr. Aman, a violation of international law and of his universal human rights.”

"We hope that in next week's UN debate countries like Canada, France, Germany, the UK and other democracies will take the floor to speak out for the release of Rami Aman."

UN Watch published an editorial in Newsweek magazine last month urging the international community to speak out.

Rami Aman has been arbitrarily detained by Hamas since April 9, 2020 for exercising his rights to freedom of expression and association.

Aman is a 38-year-old Palestinian journalist and peace activist in Gaza. He founded the Gaza Youth Committee, which recently joined the Alliance for Middle East Peace (ALLMEP), an international coalition of groups that promote Israeli-Palestinian cooperation.

On April 6th, Aman and his group conducted a Zoom video call with more than 200 Israeli and Gaza peace activists. The nearly two-hour meeting was part of a series of meetings titled “Skype With Your Enemy,” that had been taking place for the past five years.

An invitation to the Zoom conference was posted on Facebook for an opportunity to “open a channel of communication between Gazans and Israelis.” During the call, Mr. Aman encouraged participants to believe in peace and continue advocating for change.

Two days later, Aman was denounced to Hamas in a series of vituperative Facebook posts by Hind Khoudary, a former research consultant with Amnesty International. Hours later, Hamas arrested Aman and seven others, accusing them of treason.

The arrest was announced on Facebook by Hamas Interior Ministry spokesman Iyad El-Bozom, who accused the activists of “holding a normalization activity with the Israeli occupation.”

Aman is being accused of treason for having engaged in peace dialogue with Israelis. By its nature, “normalization” (i.e., peace dialogue) implicates the rights to freedom of expression and association.

The detention of Mr. Aman fits in a pattern of Hamas’s past violations of Aman’s rights to freedom of expression and association.

Aman was previously detained and interrogated by Hamas on a number of occasions as a result of his activism—including for organizing a joint bike ride with Israelis along the Gaza border fence and criticizing Hamas for torture. Aman and his group were also subject to surveillance by Hamas because of their activities.

Hamas has failed to observe the international norms relating to the right to a fair trial. The warrant for Aman’s arrest was issued by the Hamas Military Prosecution, which is not an independent and impartial authority. In the five months that he has been detained, Aman has never been brought before a judge, has not had any opportunity to challenge his detention and no trial has yet been scheduled.

The 70 NGOs are particularly concerned about Aman’s physical and mental well-being given that Hamas routinely tortures detainees.

The PA and Hamas must act to immediately release Mr. Aman.

Read full legal brief here.