The Shalleh to SadaNews: We Demand the Release of Karajah and Consider His Arrest a Dangerous Precedent Affecting Lawyer Immunity

SadaNews - Lawyer Amjad Al-Shalleh, the Secretary of the Palestinian Bar Association, confirmed to SadaNews that Article (23) of the Bar Association Law prohibits the arrest of a lawyer except in cases of being caught in the act of committing a crime. Therefore, the Bar Association has demanded the release of lawyer Muhannad Karajah, considering his arrest a dangerous precedent that affects the immunity of lawyers. Al-Shalleh emphasized that the Bar Association will continue to defend public rights and freedoms and will confront any violations of the law, remaining united in supporting human rights issues and just causes in Palestine. He said, "At the outset, we, as people of law and its protectors, and advocates of the rule of law and elevating legal principles into a culture that prevails in all society despite all its legal deficiencies and serious violations of laws, will continue to adhere to the rule of law, and the language of distinction between us and others will remain the law. Based on that, I can undoubtedly state that the Bar Association, represented by its Council and its General Assembly, categorically and unequivocally rejects the matter of the arrest of lawyer Karajah, while we affirm that we cannot deny the Public Prosecution's right, granted to it by law, to take all legal actions available to it, including gathering evidence, questioning, or investigating. However, what surprised us was the Public Prosecution's decision to arrest the colleague lawyer, knowing that arrest is a precautionary measure and an exceptional procedure taken by the prosecution in specific cases, and that the origin is freedom and release." Al-Shalleh added to SadaNews that the policy of arrest should not be a policy or approach against anyone, whether a lawyer or a citizen, as detention or arrest is a decision of the judiciary issued after proving the commission of the crime attributed to the accused. Lawyers for Justice: The Allegations Against Karajah are Baseless The group Lawyers for Justice confirmed that lawyer Muhannad Karajah was arrested today by the Public Prosecution in Ramallah for 48 hours, following his summons for questioning during the last two days. After postponing the determination of the charges against him and initiating legal proceedings, he was charged with inciting racial strife, under the provisions of Article 150 of the Penal Code No. (16) of 1960 in effect, in addition to a charge of disseminating different news with the intent to incite panic according to the provisions of Article 91 of the Telecommunications Law No. (3) of 1996, referring to Article 45 of the Decree-Law No. (10) of 2018 on cybercrime. The group stated in a statement that it has been informed that his arrest came following a complaint filed against him before the Public Prosecution based on fabricated and counterfeit posts that were recently circulated as part of an organized campaign of incitement and defamation targeting him personally and the group. The group added that during a series of summons, his phone and personal identity were seized, and he was also asked to provide the passwords to his personal social media accounts. Lawyers for Justice confirmed that all the allegations directed against him are baseless and lack any truth, as they are based on fabricated and misleading digital materials that have previously been publicly refuted through official clarifications issued by the group, as well as through independent reports confirming their falsity and fabricated nature. The group considered that this arrest constitutes a dangerous development in the trajectory of tightening restrictions on human rights defenders in Palestine and comes within the context of repeated attempts to intimidate them and obstruct their legitimate work in defending basic rights and freedoms. The group further emphasized that lawyer Muhannad Karajah has announced his open hunger strike since the commencement of the investigation at the Public Prosecution. It called on all local and international partners, human rights organizations, and diplomatic missions to closely monitor these developments and ensure the necessary legal and rights protection for lawyers and human rights defenders in Palestine, and to work towards halting all forms of incitement and prosecution that affect the freedom of legal and human rights work.