Gaza: Let Charity That Aids Children Reopen Its Doors

[oberliner]

Hamas Should End Harassment of Civil Society Groups

(Jerusalem, December 13, 2010) – Hamas authorities in Gaza should allow an organization that helps children and youth to reopen and penalize officials who have harassed its workers, Human Rights Watch said today. On November 30, 2010, Hamas authorities arbitrarily closed all of the Gaza offices of the group Sharek Youth Forum, which provides psychosocial and vocational support and operates summer camps and other programs for 60,000 Gaza children and youth.

Since May, Hamas authorities have repeatedly summoned the group's directors and other employees for questioning, temporarily closed its offices, and confiscated computers and other equipment, without filing any charges. Members of the group told Human Rights Watch that Hamas security officials told them four of its employees were being investigated, but gave no names or details about suspected offenses and did not explain why that justified closing down the organization throughout Gaza.

"This arbitrary interference with an organization that provides invaluable services to Gaza's youth is just the latest evidence of Hamas's authoritarian streak," said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. "Hamas boasts that it was democratically elected, but it isn't acting like a democratic government that respects civil society."

http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900sid/VVOS-8C4S2N?OpenDocument