Responding to the US government's decision to impose sanctions on Palestinian NGOs - Al-Haq, Al Mezan Center for Human Rights, and the Palestinian Center for Human Rights - in the context of sanctions imposed against activities related to the International Criminal Court (ICC), Erika Guevara-Rosas, Amnesty International’s Senior Director for Research, Advocacy, Policy and Campaigns, said:

“The Trump administration’s decision to impose sanctions against three prominent Palestinian human rights organisations is a deeply troubling and shameful assault on human rights and the global pursuit of justice.

“These organisations carry out vital and courageous work, meticulously documenting human rights violations under the most horrifying conditions. They have steadfastly continued to do so in the face of war, genocide, and the oppressive reality of Israel’s apartheid regime, as well as malicious attempts to discredit their findings and cripple their funding with spurious terrorism accusations.

“They are the voice of Palestinian victims, amplifying stories of human suffering and injustice that would otherwise remain unheard. Their work is indispensable for achieving justice and accountability for decades of atrocities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel.  

“This appalling move constitutes a brazen attack on the entire Palestinian human rights movement, and a callous attempt to fracture and weaken the whole global human rights community. It seeks to deny victims of human rights violations and atrocity crimes any prospect for truth, justice and reparations. This decision also starkly exposes the Trump administration’s deliberate efforts to dismantle the very foundation of international justice and shield Israel from accountability for its crimes.

“The international community stands at a critical juncture. The very institutions founded to safeguard human rights and uphold international law, including the International Criminal Court, are grappling with existential threats.

“Amnesty International expresses its solidarity and support to these organisations and calls on the global human rights movement to push back against this despicable decision.  States must unequivocally oppose this flagrant assault on Palestinian civil society organisations and the communities they represent, for the sake of our shared humanity and the future of human rights worldwide.”