The Meeting was convened under the auspices of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People and follows the event held in March 2011 at the United Nations Office in Vienna on the same topic. It aimed at raising awareness on the situation of Palestinian political prisoners and at mobilizing the international community to bring this issue to a solution by ensuring the prisoners’ release and reintegration into society.

Participants included 15 invited speakers; representatives of 66 蘑菇视频 Member States and Observers from Africa, Asia, Europe, North and South America; 6 intergovernmental organizations (AU, Council of Europe, EU, LAS, OIC, PAM), 8 蘑菇视频 system entities (FAO, OHCHR, WFP, 蘑菇视频SCO, 蘑菇视频ICEF, 蘑菇视频-HABITAT, 蘑菇视频ESCO, 蘑菇视频CTAD), ICRC, 15 civil society organizations, and the media.

Updated information on the Meeting, including press releases, the final report and other documentation, will be posted on this website as it becomes available.

OPENING SESSION

Mr. Maxwell Gaylard, United Nations Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process and United Nations Coordinator for Humanitarian and Development Activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations (, )

H.E. Mr. Abdou Salam Diallo, Chairman of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People (, )

H.E. Mr. Issa Qaraqe, Minister for Prisoners’ Affairs of the Palestinian Authority, Representative of Palestine (, )

Other statements: Indonesia, Russian Federation, League of Arab States (, ), Organization of Islamic Cooperation (, , )

PLENARY I
The current situation of Palestinian political prisoners in Israeli jails and detention facilities — legal and humanitarian aspects

Mr. Khaled Quzmar, Legal Consultant, Defence for Children International, Jerusalem (,, )

Mr. Ahmed Shreem, Member, Palestinian Legislative Council, Ramallah ()

Mr. Jan Borgen, Deputy Secretary-General, International Commission of Jurists, Geneva

Mr. Mohammad Albatta, Director-General, Rehabilitation Programme, Ministry of Prisoners’ Affairs, Palestinian Authority, Ramallah (, , )

Ms. Lama Odeh Sharif, Psycho-Social Supervisor, Rehabilitation Program, Young Men’s Christian Association, East Jerusalem (, , )

PLENARY II
The legal status of Palestinian political prisoners in international law

Mr. John Dugard, Former Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Commission on Human Rights Professor of International Law, Leiden University, Amsterdam (, , )

Mr. Yaser Amouri, Assistant professor of international law, Birzeit University, Birzeit, West Bank (, , )

Mr. Nasser Al Ryyes, Legal advisor, Al-Haq – Law in the Service of Man, Ramallah (, , )

Mr. Shawqi Al Issa, Director, Ensan Center for Democracy and Human Rights, Bethlehem ()

Mr. Jawad Ammawi, General Director of Legal Unit, Ministry of Prisoners’ Affairs, Palestinian Authority, Ramallah ()

PLENARY III

The issue of Palestinian political prisoners and the Israeli-Palestinian political process

Mr. Qadura Fares, Chairman, Palestinian Prisoners Society, Ramallah (, , )

Mr. Mutaz M. Qafisheh, Professor of international law, Hebron University, Hebron ()

Mr. Hanif Vally, Human rights lawyer, Deputy Director, Foundation for Human Rights, Johannesburg ()

Mr. Mahmoud Hassan, Director, Legal Unit, Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association, Jerusalem

CLOSING SESSION

H.E. Mr. Riyad Mansour, Permanent Observer of Palestine to the United Nations, Representative of Palestine

H.E. Mr. Abdou Salam Diallo, Chairman of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People ()

Resources