Trade Union Rights Palestinian prisoner Dr. Shada Awdeh released
On 7 July 2021, the occupation forces arrested Dr. Shada Awdeh, a feminist and human rights activist, who is also at the head of the Palestinian NGO Network's administrative board and the director of the Union of Health Work Committees.
The Awfer military court issued its ruling on the evening of 12 May 2022, with an effective prison sentence of 16 months from the date of her arrest and a fine of 30,000 shekels, as well as a 12-month suspended prison sentence that will be valid for 5 years. Awdeh was arrested at her home in the city of Ramallah on 7 July 2021, as part of an occupation-led campaign against civil society institutions and NGOs.
It's worth noting that the military prosecution ruled against Awdeh after an exaggerated case on her and her fellow detainees, portraying their cases as dangerous, in an attempt to criminalise the work of Palestinian human rights organisations that the Israeli War Minister had declared illegal.
The first indictment stated a violation of holding a position in an illegal association, as the text of the regulation stated that she had held the position of head of the Health Work Committees since 2012, and the institution was not classified as an illegal institution by the military commander at the time. The military prosecution amended the list to state that Awdeh had held the position since January 2020, i.e. after the military commander's announcement. The judge acknowledged in his conclusion that Awdeh did not engaged in any activity that "disturbed security" or supported any party, and he crossed out all the data regarding support for terrorism from other human rights organisations. The money collected at the time was contributions to the Foundation's projects, and for a fellow doctor's memorial ceremony.
The court decided on the early release of Dr. Shada Awdeh, who breathed her freedom on 3 June 2022, due to her state of health and the international solidarity campaigns that were held, particularly those carried out by Public Services International (PSI); international, regional and local unions; women's institutions and solidarity movements.