Annual Report - Palestinian Center for Human Rights

Introduction
The previous section of this report has detailed the human rights situation in the OPT
throughout 2005 and helps to explain the complicated environment in which PCHR
works. Although the new year of 2005 brought great optimism and expectation, given
the positive developments relating to the peaceful transition of authority in the PNA,
the optimism and expectation soon faded. Violations of human rights and
international humanitarian law by IOF continued and more violations of human rights
were recorded from the Palestinian side.
Under these circumstances, PCHR committed to implement its plans and activities for
2005, with a flexibility to allow adaptation to field developments and emergent issues.
This section of the report details PCHR's activities in 2005. It details the activities of
PCHR's units, participation in regional and international activities, receiving visiting
delegations and interviews with the media. It also highlights PCHR's publications in
2005 and PCHR's web site.
PCHR Becomes an Organizational Member of ILAC
On 6 October 2005, the council of the International Legal Assistance Consortium
(ILAC) decided to accept PCHR as an organizational member of the Consortium. In
his letter sent to Raji Sourani, Director of PCHR, Mr. Christian Ahlond, Executive
Director of ILAC stated, "ILAC is proud to be able to include your organization
among its members and wishes to express its admiration for your tireless work to
respect and promote the rule of law under the most difficult circumstances." The
Stockholm-based ILAC is one of the most important international legal bodies. It
includes more than 30 members of distinguished legal organizations throughout the
world, including the American Bar Association; the Arab Lawyers Union; the Bar
Council of England and Wales; the Canadian Bar Association; the Council of Bars
and Law Societies of the European Union; the Norwegian Bar Association; the Bar
Association of India; and the Swedish Bar Association.
PCHR is pleased to be included as a member of this pioneer international legal
organization, especially as this inclusion coincided with the 10 th anniversary of the
establishment of PCHR. ILAC has been the sixth international and regional
organization to include PCHR as a member since its establishment in 1995. PCHR is
also a member of the International Commission of Jurists – Geneva; the International
Federation for Human Rights – Paris; the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights
Network – Copenhagen; the International Union of Democratic Lawyers – Paris; and
the Arab Organization for Human Rights – Cairo. It has consultative status with the
United Nations Economic and Social Council. PCHR's membership in these
international and regional bodies is an indication of its activeness and credibility in
serving Palestinian human rights issues.
PCHR Is Awarded Two New International Prizes
In appreciation of its efforts in defending human rights, PCHR received two new
international prizes in 2005. On 4 December 2005, the Union of Municipalities of the
Sun Beaches in Malaga, Spain, awarded PCHR the Solidarity Prize on the occasion of
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