On Thursday morning, 14 March 2013, the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) organised a special event to launch its 2012 Annual Report. PCHR invited representatives of local civil society organisations, government officials, members of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), jurists, academics, journalists, and other prominent public figures to attend the event.
Dr Riad al-Zanoun, Head of PCHR’s Board of Directors, announced the publication of the report, highlighting its special value due to the international trust it enjoys based on its professionalism and credibility. Mr. Raji Sourani, Director of PCHR, then introduced the report and its key contents.
This is theseventeenth Annual Report produced by PCHR since the Centre’s first report was published in 1996. The report is an account of PCHR’s work throughout the year and includes comprehensive documentation of the human rights situation in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) during the reporting period, 1 January – 31 December 2012.
The report consists of two main parts. The first part addresses war crimes, violations of international humanitarian law (IHL), and violations of international human rights law committed by Israeli forces in the oPt during 2012. It also documents violations of human rights committed by Palestinian authorities, as well as existing obstacles to democratic reform within the oPt. The second part of the report outlines the activities of PCHR’s various units, as well as the Centre’s public, national, and international activities in 2012. Among other topics, the report addresses: PCHR’s efforts during and after the Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip in November 2012; efforts to defend Palestinian detainees and prisoners in Israeli jails; participation in international and regional meetings; resumption of PCHR’s work before the courts in the Gaza Strip; and PCHR’s institution- and capacity-building.
The report is published in Arabic, and an English-language version is currently being finalised. The report will be widely disseminated at the local and international levels to civil society groups, human rights organisations, official bodies, diplomatic missions, UN bodies, journalists, and media institutions.
PCHR has prepared a summary of the report in Arabic, which is available online.
PCHR’s Annual Report contributes to the struggle for human rights for the Palestinian people by providing a comprehensive picture of the human rights situation in the oPt. It serves as a guide for PCHR’s future work and also reflects PCHR’s strong belief in the importance of transparency for a non-profit, non-governmental organisation that provides a service to the community.