Violation: closing Huwwara checkpoint
Location: Southern Nablus
Date: July 11, 2015
Perpetrators: the Israeli occupation army
Victims: residents of the city
Details:
For the second time in a month, the Israeli occupation army shuts down the southern entrance of Nablus city also known as Huwwara checkpoint by cement blocks and an iron gate. Soldiers were stationed at the gate to enforce the closure and ban citizens and visitors from entering the area. Residents were directed to travel through Aorta checkpoint that is located to the east of Nablus.
It is reported that the closure surprisingly took place without any clear reasons behind such an action. No justifications were given by the occupation in that regard.
Mr. Ghassan Daghals, who is the responsible of the colonization file in northern West Bank, told a researcher from Land Research Center the following:
“Closing both ways of the road under the claim of security purposes is a type of collective punishment on the city’s residents, taking into account that the closure took place during Ramadan and that the Muslim festival of Al-Fitir draws near in time. The occupation works hard to strike the economy of the city through hindering residents’ movement in and out of Nablus”.
It should be marked that the checkpoint was established in the aftermath of the second Intifada of the 2000. This came in a step to cut the interaction between the Palestinian suburbs and cities. It is reported that Huwwara checkpoint seperates the northern West Bank from the middle district.
Since the establishment of the checkpoint, tens of Israeli violations of human rights were reported to take place at the checkpoint. Violations were represented in holding injured and sick people at the checkpoint for long time and humiliating travelers at time of passing through it.
International conventions and laws regarding freedom of movement which Israel unabatedly violates:
- Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: “Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person”.
- Article 5: “No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment”.
- Article 9: “No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile”.
- Article 13: Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each state.
Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country.
- Article 7 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights: “No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. In particular, no one shall be subjected without his free consent to medical or scientific experimentation.”
- Article 9: “Everyone has the right to liberty and security of person. No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest or detention. No one shall be deprived of his liberty except on such grounds and in accordance with such procedure as are established by law.
Prepared by
The Land Research Center
LRC
