Direct Legal Aid

HRDF provides legal aid, counsel, and representation to human rights defenders in both Israeli civil courts (for Israeli citizens, East Jerusalem residents, and internationals) and IDF military courts (for Palestinians under military occupation). HRDF works to end the criminalization of human rights defenders at every single level of the court system, through responsive legal defense as well as proactive strategic programs.

Legal activities include but are not limited to:

• 24/7 Emergency Hotline providing immediate rapid-response legal assistance to all callers
• Legal consultations provided to detainees after arrest, prior to interrogation
• Legal representation of HRDs in detention hearings
• Legal defense in criminal proceedings and trials following indictments
• Legal defense of HRDs sued in politically-motivated SLAPPs (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation)
• Legal aid of all forms provided to felony victims of settler violence, ranging from assistance submitting complaints with the police to rendering in-court witness testimony during trials.
• Legal intervention to return personal property confiscated by state authorities
• Issuance of restraining orders and orders of protection to protect HRDs being targeted, doxxed, and harassed.
• Petitions to the Israeli Supreme Court challenging unjust or illegal state policies that criminalize HRDs
• High Court appeals challenging unjust detention practices
• Tort Claims lawsuits proactively filed against police for damages suffered from “false arrests”
• Legal support for HRDs suing settlers, army, and police for injury or damages in Small Claims Court
• Appeals in all cases, ranging from appeals of detention release conditions to verdict appeals

Capacity-Building Trainings

HRDF provides legal rights trainings and skill-building educational workshops to grassroots collectives, NGOs & Civil Society Organizations, and local communities. All trainings are conducted by HRDF’s roster of expert lawyers or contracted specialists. Training topics include but are not limited to:

• Basic Legal Rights for Protestors and Activists under Israeli civil law
• Basic Legal Rights for Palestinians under Military Law in the Occupied West Bank
• Legal Rights for “Protective Presence” Activists in the West Bank
• Freedom of Expression under the Anti-Terror Laws
• Documentation (Video and Stills) of Human Rights Violations
• How to Avoid SLAPP Suits
• Self-Care, Community-Care, and Trauma-Management Practices for HRDs
• The Risks and Advantages of Using Security Cameras in Palestinian villages

Advocacy

HRDF conducts various advocacy initiatives and campaigns on behalf of persecuted human rights defenders. HRDF works with duty-bearers, intergovernmmental bodies, and international human rights organizations in order to leverage the influence of the international community to protect human rights defenders in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories. These include but are not limited to the United Nations (Special Rapporteurs, OHCHR, Commission of Inquiry, etc.), diplomatic missions, political representatives, and organizations like Amnesty International, Frontline Defenders, Human Rights Watch, and the American Bar Association: Center for Human Rights.

Advocacy activities conducted by HRDF include, but are not limited to:

• Briefings and one-on-one meetings with diplomats and other duty-bearers
• Facilitated site visits at Ofer Military Court for the international community
• Newsletters and updates on our mailing list
• Inputs and submissions to U.N. and other reporting mechanisms
• Organizational publications and investigative reports
• Continuous year-round communication with diplomats and other duty-bearers through email, phone, and zoom

All advocacy activities are conducted by HRDF’s Director of International Relations. For any advocacy-related inquiries, please contact: [email protected]

Media

HRDF works with local press (such as Ha’aretz, +972 Magazine, Kan 11, and more) and foreign media outlets (such as DW, The Guardian, Democracy Now, and more) in its efforts to better protect human rights defenders. The goals of HRDF’s media intervention include but are not limited to:

• Raising public awareness of critical legal cases, emergent phenomena, and alarming issues on the ground.
• Combating smear campaigns of human rights defenders, helping them reframe narratives and take control of the public story around their activities.
• Providing legal advice to individuals and organizations speaking with reporters and journalists.