Release Layan Nasir and other Birzeit University students!/Freiheit für Layan Nasir!

 

https://www.change.org/FreeLayanAndFriends

Update Aug. 27: Layan Released on Bail, Others Still Detained?
Update: Layan's court hearing pushed forward

 

During the pre-dawn hours of July 7th, 21 year old Layan Nasir, a 4th year Nutrition student at Birzeit University, was arrested, bound, gagged and blindfolded by Israeli Occupation Forces. She was interrogated at the Ofer Military Prison without benefit of legal counsel and her family was unable to visit her. Layan was later charged with membership in Democratic Progressive Student Pole (Al-Qutub Al-Tulabi), a university-based organization composed of left-leaning students. Israel’s designation of the Democratic Progressive Student Pole as an unlawful organization in October 2020 is one of many attempts to suppress student activism and silence Palestinian demands for freedom.  Layan now awaits trial from Damon Military Prison with seven other female students. In total, seventy-four Birzeit University students were similarly "detained" and many remain in Israeli prisons for non-violently expressing their opposition to Israel's treatment of Palestinians. The freedoms of expression and peaceful association are fundamental, universal human rights. We call on our elected representatives, and those in authority within our government, to demand and pressure the Israeli government and military forces to immediately release Layan and her fellow students. Please friends do sign and help in sharing the petition.

In den frühen Morgenstunden des 7. Juli wurde die 21-jährige Layan Nasir, Studentin der Ernährungswissenschaften im vierten Jahr an der Birzeit-Universität, von den israelischen Besatzungstruppen verhaftet, gefesselt, geknebelt und mit verbundenen Augen festgehalten. Sie wurde im Militärgefängnis Ofer verhört, ohne dass sie einen Rechtsbeistand erhielt und ihre Familie sie nicht besuchen konnte. Später wurde Layan wegen Mitgliedschaft im Demokratischen Progressiven Studentenpol (Al-Qutub Al-Tulabi) angeklagt, einer an der Universität ansässigen Organisation, die sich aus linksgerichteten Studenten zusammensetzt. Die Einstufung des Demokratischen Progressiven Studentenpols als ungesetzliche Organisation im Oktober 2020 durch Israel ist einer von vielen Versuchen, studentischen Aktivismus zu unterdrücken und palästinensische Forderungen nach Freiheit zum Schweigen zu bringen. Layan wartet nun zusammen mit sieben anderen Studentinnen im Militärgefängnis Damon auf ihren Prozess. Insgesamt wurden vierundsiebzig Studenten der Birzeit-Universität in ähnlicher Weise "inhaftiert", und viele von ihnen befinden sich nach wie vor in israelischen Gefängnissen, weil sie gewaltlos ihren Widerstand gegen die Behandlung der Palästinenser durch Israel zum Ausdruck gebracht haben. Die Freiheit der Meinungsäußerung und das Recht, sich friedlich zu versammeln, sind grundlegende, universelle Menschenrechte. Wir fordern unsere gewählten Vertreter und die Verantwortlichen in unserer Regierung auf, von der israelischen Regierung und den Streitkräften die sofortige Freilassung von Layan und ihren Kommilitonen zu verlangen und Druck auszuüben. Bitte Freunde, unterschreibt und helft mit, die Petition zu verbreiten.

 

Colonisation of occupied territory is a war crime

 Peter Leuenberger, infosperber.ch, 14/6/2021

Peter Leuenberger is a historian and member of the Switzerland-Palestine Society

States are shirking their obligations by allowing goods from occupied territories

A European Citizens' Initiative calls for a ban on trade in goods from illegal settlements, but the EU Commission declared not being competent. The European Court of Justice sees things differently and played the ball back to the Commission. Historian Peter Leuenberger puts things in order and takes a look at the situation in Switzerland. (Editor’s Note)

The citizens' initiative wants to stop the trade in illegally built settlements in occupied territories. This measure would particularly affect trade with settlements in the Israeli occupied Palestinian West Bank and the Syrian Golan Heights, but also illegal settlements in the Moroccan occupied Western Sahara as well as other territories that are militarily occupied and economically exploited by the occupying power. But the EU Commission refused to register the initiative in September 2019. The reason given was that it was not competent, because such a step would be tantamount to sanctions. It could only be decided jointly by all member states in the European Council. The executive in Brussels does not have the power to do so.

Seven EU citizens appealed to the Court of Justice of the European Union against the Commission's decision. The court now ruled that the Commission had failed to provide adequate reasons or a sufficient legal basis for refusing to register the initiative. The Commission can now appeal the court's ruling or it must revise its decision and register the citizens' initiative.

Ireland's parliament already tried to pass its own law banning trade in the settlements. However, the European Commission confirmed on this occasion that it alone was responsible for the EU's common trade policy.

Settlements violate international humanitarian law

According to the Fourth Geneva Convention (Art. 49), Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and on the Syrian Golan Heights are illegal under international law. Only recently, the EU reiterated its long-standing position that all settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories are illegal under international law.