NGOs/Arrests in Haifa – Letter from CEIRPP Chairman

Letter dated 24 February 1984 from the Chairman of the Committee

 on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian 

People to the Secretary-General

In a previous letter dated 18 November 1983 (A/38/595-S/16171), writing to you in my capacity as Chairman of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, I drew your attention to the arrest of Mr. Mohammad Mi'ari and Mr. Maysara Sayyid by the Israeli authorities.

The grounds for their arrest was that they had attended the International Conference on the Question of Palestine at Geneva in 1983 and had, during that Conference, met with representatives of the Palestine Liberation Organization in working sessions of the Conference.  In my letter at that time I protested, on behalf of the Committee, against this discriminatory action which amounted to an act of intimidation since the two people arrested were merely pursuing their legitimate activities on behalf of their non-governmental organizations at a Conference organized under the auspices of the United Nations.  I might add here for reference that Mr. Mi'ari and Mr. Sayyid were representing the Friends of the Prisoners Association and the Abna Al-Balad Movement (Movement of the Sons of the Country), respectively.  Both non-governmental organizations are based in Israel. Mr. Mi'ari and Mr. Sayyid were subsequently released from custody, but their movements were restricted to the towns of Haifa and Acre for a period of six months.

It has since come to my attention that because of a town arrest order Mr. Sayyid, who comes from Acre, has been banned from continuing his education at the Institute of Technology at Haifa because, among other matters, of his participation in the International Conference on the Question of Palestine.  My source for this information is the 8 February 1984 issue of Ha'aretz.

Mr. Sayyid has since appealed to the Supreme Court of Justice of Israel declaring that the town arrest order against him is illegal.  He requested that he be allowed to live in Haifa or to visit that city three times a week in order to continue his engineering studies at the Institute of Technology there.

At the appeal, the Attorney General said that as part of his "conspiratory activities he participated in the International Conference on the Question of Palestine where he met with Palestine Liberation Organization leaders".  Ha'aretz reports that this participation in the Conference is considered by the Attorney General as "the peak of Sayyid's conspiratory activities".

Once again. Sir, on behalf of the Committee I must protest against this discriminatory action, especially since it is possible that equally inequitable action will be taken against other participants from Israel in the Conference.  I should therefore be grateful if you would be so good as to convey to the Israeli authorities the Committee's concern and urge them to lift the restrictions placed on Mr. Sayyid.

I should be grateful if this letter could be issued as a document of the General Assembly, under item 33 of the preliminary list, and of the Security Council.

_________

* A/39/50.

84-05446 1062s (E)