A Statement from a number of NGOs On US Campus protests

This statement has been drafted by the Organization for Defending Victims of Violence and has been endorsed by the subsequent non-governmental organizations and institutions following the recent incident in the American universities:

The mass killings of over 34,000 people in Gaza, predominantly women and children, along with the blockade imposed by Israel that resulted in the displacement and starvation of over a million Gazans, has sparked widespread demonstrations in solidarity with the Palestinian people on university campuses throughout the United States including Columbia University, the University of Texas, and Emory University. These peaceful assemblies and legitimate exercise of the right to freedom of expression and the students' calls for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, an end to US military assistance for Israel and university divestment from arms suppliers, have faced harsh crackdowns including mass suspensions, evictions from university housing, and arrests of students, professors, legal observers, and journalists covering these events. Since April 18, more than 700 protesters have been arrested on US campuses, with nearly 200 arrests occurring just on Saturday. The police have used even chemical irritants and tear gas to disperse protests, with officers equipped in riot gear and mounted on horseback forcefully dispersing demonstrations at the University of Texas. There are even videos of officers knocking professors to the ground for just trying to support the students.

The use of police force to break up these protests has been criticized by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) executive director Afaf Nasher, who argued that the oppressive measures undermine academic freedom. Civil rights advocates and NGOs, including the American Civil Liberties Union and Human Rights Watch, have also raised concerns about the mass arrests and their impact on freedom of speech.

The right to peaceful assembly enshrined in Article 20 of UDHR and Article 21 of ICCPR guarantees the individuals freedom to express their dissent on government policies. Criticism of the actions or policies of the Israel is not anti-Semitic in itself and should not be used as a pretext to shut down such protests.

As NGOs devoted to the promotion of Human Rights, it is our duty to demand the lifting of suspension and protection of fundamental freedoms for the US students. The United States should cease its unconditional support of the Israel which according to several UN officials and experts is committing genocide and other international crimes in the besieged Gaza.

1) Organization for defending victims of violence (ODVV)

2) Family Health Association of Iran

3) Medical Support Association for Underprivileged Iranian Patients

4) Humanitarian Ambassadors NGO

5) Jameh Ehyagaran Teb Sonnati Va Salamat Iranian

6) Imam Ali Charity Institution

7) Peivande Gole Narges Organization

8) Maryam Ghasemi Educational Charity Institute

9) Rahbord Peimayesh Research & Educational Services Cooperative

10) Hazrat-e Fatemeh Zahra Charity Institute

11) The Society for Recovery Support

12) Association of Iranian Short Statured Adults

13) Successful Family friendly Association

14) International Assembly of Women of Monotheistic Religions

15) International alliance of jurists for Palestine

16) Khiam Rehabilitation Center for Victims of Torture

17) L'observatoire français des droits de l'homme

18) Horan Rencontre Rencontre pour la citoyenneté

19) L'institut international pour la paix la justice et les droits de l'homme

20) Syrian Medical Committee

21) Protection des défenseurs des droits de l'homme dans le monde arabe (PADDH)

22) The International Humanitarian Society for Development Without Borders

23) The Palestinian Democratic Woman Organisation - NADA

24) Bahrain Forum for Human Rights

25) Federation National Des Syndicats Des Ouvriers Et Des Employes Au Liban

26) Center for Peace and Reconciliation Studies (Dr. h.c Mehmet Sukru Guzel)

27) Arab Union for Human Rights

28) Together for Human Rights

29) Step for Human Rights

30) The International Commission to Support the Rights of the Palestinian People “Hashd”

31) Newroz social and cultural association

32) Jin women association in Lebanon

33) Center for defence of Liberties

34) The Europian Alliance of the Solidarity with the Palestinian Detainees

35) The Committee of Captives and freedpeople in P.F.L.P

36) Interfaith for Palestine

37) Hikmat Darras

38) Karama for wrights and liberations

39) Helping hands fonundation

40) Ali abo hemela

41) تحالف الحقوقیین من أجل فلسطین ترکیا

42) المرکز العربی لحقوق الإنسان والسلام الدولی المملکة الأردنیة الهاشمیة

43) للجنة القانونیة فی المؤتمر الشعبی لفلسطینی الخارج فلسطینی الخارج

44) الملتقى الدولی للقدس أمانتی ترکیا

45) مرکز قبة الصخرة للإعلام

46) منیر رشید عضو الأمانة العامة للمؤتمر الشعبی الأردن

47) الائتلاف التربوی الفلسطینی فلسطین

48) الجمعیة الوطنیة لحقوق الإنسان الأردن

49) مرکز یافا للدراسات فلسطین

50) د. مصطفى محمد نصراللهمحامی ورئیس الجمعیة الوطنیة لحقوق الإنسان الأردن

51) جامعة الاستقلال فلسطین

52) کلیة الهندسة والبترول – جامعة الکویت – الکویت

53) المؤتمر الشعبی لفلسطینیی الخارج لبنان – بیروت

54) أکادیمیة دراسات اللاجئین

55) مرکز الیقظة لحقوق الإنسان لندن

56) مؤسسة نجدة لحقوق الإنسان لندن

57) حقهم الولایات المتحدة

58) المرصد العربی لحریة الإعلام لندن

59) الشبکة المصریة لحقوق الإنسان لندن

60) مؤسسة التضامن لحقوق الإنسان جینیف

61) منظمة افدی الدولیة لحقوق الإنسان بروکسل

62) هیومن رایتس مونیتمور لندن

63) جوار لحقوق الإنسان

64) مؤسسة إنسانیة لحقوق الإنسان

65) أطباء من أجل القدس )نقابة الأطباء الأردنیة( الأردن

66) منظمة نجدة لحقوق الإنسان

67) المنتدى العالمی للوسطیة فی کوردستان العراق

68) محامون من أجل العدالة المغرب

69) منتدى الکرامة لحقوق الإنسان المغرب

70) حزب النهج الجدید المملکة الأردنیة الهاشمیة

71) مؤسسة صوت حر فرنسا

72) جمعیة حراس الحقوق ترکیا

73) جمعیة تنمیة المرآة الأفریقیة ترکیا

74) منتدى الحقوقیین الجزائریین الجزائر

75) لجنة الشؤون الدولیة لفلسطینی الخارج عمان – الأردن

76) مؤسسة المجلس العربی فرنسا