NETHERLANDS: A VICTORY AGAINST ANTI-PALESTINIAN RACISM IN THE WORKPLACE\u00a0<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n The Dutch Human Rights Board (College voor de Rechten van de Mens) ruled that software company Speakap discriminated against N. A., an IT specialist from Gaza, when it fired him for condemning Israel\u2019s crimes on LinkedIn. N. A. reached out to the ELSC, and we connected him with lawyer \u015eeyma Arikan. The Human Rights Board found that Speakap directly discriminated against N. A.\u00a0based on political affiliation. This decision is an important\u00a0step towardsholding companies accountable\u00a0<\/strong>that silence and\u00a0deploy punitive measures against employees speaking out for Palestine.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n BRITAIN UPDATE: KAMNA PATEL RESIGNS FROM UKRI\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n ELSC proudly supported<\/a>\u00a0Dr Kate Sang of Heriot-Watt University, and Kamna Patel of UCL, throughout the UKRI\u2019s shameful suspension and investigation procedure, which was concluded in March 2024.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Last month, in June 2024,\u00a0Dr Patel resigned<\/a>\u00a0as Chair of UKRI\u2019s Expert Advisory Group\u00a0<\/strong>on equality, diversity and inclusion, taking a firm stance against the UK government\u2019s authoritarian attacks on academic freedom and shameful attempts to silence dissenting voices.\u00a0She writes<\/a>:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n I’m mindful that in all this what is lost are my original words (misquoted by the Secretary of State), which I said from a deep sense of civic responsibility and rooted in postcolonial scholarship – there is an ongoing genocide and practice of apartheid against Palestinians, a reference to a 76-year project of elimination by the Israeli state, now taking a most deadly turn. Since the Secretary of State’s claim these words constitute “extreme views”, the International Court of Justice concluded genocide of Palestinians in Gaza is a plausible risk, a view supported by renowned scholars of genocide, including Israelis. To this I add, it is emboldened by disgraceful efforts by the UK government to silence all dissent, including those rooted in scholarship and evidence. Over the past few months, we have seen the playbook of lobbing unfounded allegations and stoking an investigation into anybody critical of the Israeli state’s policies as a sufficient action to malign and silence them, irrespective of any evidence underpinning the charge or the outcome of any investigation. It is to this playbook that you have (been) played.<\/p>\r\nDr Patel resigned<\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Together with BRISMES Campaigns and London Region UCU Reps,\u00a0we put together a toolkit for higher education employees in Britain<\/strong>. If you work at a university in Britain\u00a0and have questions about your rights, or concerns when advocating for Palestine, this guide will offer some helpful answers!<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n STUDENTS IN AMSTERDAM GOT THEIR SANCTIONS WITHDRAWN<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n In February 2024, Amsterdam University College (AUC) imposed sanctions (including suspension and formal warnings) on six students for their\u00a0involvement in Palestine student protests on campus. The Public Interest Litigation Project (PILP)\u00a0and ELSC assisted these students with sending objections to the university\u2019s management.\u00a0AUC has now informed the students that all sanctions have been withdrawn<\/strong>. This\u00a0is an important\u00a0move for\u00a0the broader student movement. Freedom to demonstrate and freedom of expression do not stop at the entrance to the university building!<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n LLOYDS CASE UPDATE: EMPLOYMENT TRIBUNAL<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n We are proud to have supported prominent activist Michel Legrand (President of ECCP and treasurer of CPJPO) in his case creating a promising precedent for the freedom of speech of Palestinian rights defenders in Luxembourg.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n We are proud to be supporting\u00a0Afra Sohail and Aunngbeen Khalid<\/a>, who are now standing their ground at the Employment Tribunal. The hearings will continue until 17 July. Follow us for more updates on the hearings soon<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n OUR COLLECTIVE PUSH BACK AGAINST THE DEFUNDING OF PALESTINIAN ORGANISATIONS AND THEIR ALLIES\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n One of our missions at ELSC is to support organisations whose funding is cut or restricted. Together with EuroMed Rights we provide an insight into the European context in a new FAQ published on our website<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n The defunding of Palestinian organisations is a deliberate tactic to suppress Palestinian voices and shield Israel from accountability<\/strong>\u00a0for its genocidal onslaught on Gaza and continuous attacks against Palestinian life and land. We at ELSC are committed to monitoring the working of this tactic and supporting defunded Palestinian organisations. If you\u2019ve faced similar issues, contact us\u00a0elsc.support\/intake<\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n BOOKING: MAJOR ORGANISATION TERMINATES ITS BOOKING.COM SPONSOR DEAL\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Last month, the COC, the oldest interest group for the LGBTI+ community in the world,\u00a0has officially terminated its Booking.com sponsor deal<\/a>, due to Booking.com\u2019s continued profiteering from illegal Israeli settlements.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Amplify on X<\/a>\u00a0&\u00a0Instagram<\/a>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Your support of\u00a0our legal action<\/a>, along with other recent initiatives to raise awareness against Booking.com’s illegal practices, has had a notable impact, and the pressure on Booking.com is mounting. Together we can end the corporate impunity and complicity with Israel\u2019s colonial enterprise<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n NO MORE WEAPONS FOR GENOCIDE: FURTHER LEGAL ACTION AGAINST GERMANY\u2019S WAR WEAPONS DELIVERIES TO ISRAEL<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n The Lawyers Collective (Anw\u00e4lt:innenkollektiv) supported by the European Legal Support Center (ELSC), Law for Palestine, Palestine Institute for Public Diplomacy (PIPD) and\u00a0 Forensis (Forensic Architecture Berlin) has\u00a0paved the way for further legal action against Germany\u2019s deliveries of war weapons to Israel.<\/a>\u00a0We will now dedicate our resources to prevent Germany from illegally selling weapons to Israel.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Using legal avenues implies huge financial costs for the solidarity movement. Legal fees are unfortunately infamously sky high; we ask you to please consider putting aside whatever amount you\u2019re able\u00a0to contribute to the steadfast movement\u2019s efforts to hold Germany accountable<\/strong>. Funds raised will be used to cover court and lawyer fees amongst other administrative costs related to how the case progresses.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Share on\u00a0X<\/a>\u00a0&\u00a0Instagram\u00a0<\/a><\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n HELP US BUILD OUR MONITOR DATABASE<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n All forms of repression that are reported to us helps us in developing our legal and communication strategies to defend the Palestine solidarity movement. Your story is important, we cannot allow these patterns of repression to be normalised.\u00a0Let\u2019s expose those responsible for our repression and hold them accountable together!<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Setting up a small monthly donation to our legal aid fund can go a long way to ensure ELSC\u2019s stability and security at this critical time where we face an unprecedented all-time-high number of repression cases.\u00a0We cannot do this alone and we need your help to continue supporting the movement!\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n As a member of our community of supporters, you will also get early access to ELSC volunteer opportunities and community events and an opportunity to brainstorm with us in the future about how to scale up the ELSC and better serve the Palestine solidarity movement.Click here<\/a>\u00a0to join our community of supporters\u00a0with a monthly contribution!\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n MORE AND MORE CITIES CUTTING TIES<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Last month, new localities made steps to comply with their obligations to uphold international law. Following the City Council of Bologna, the Legislative Assembly of the Emilia-Romagna Region\u00a0also voted for the adoption of an ethical procurement policy<\/a>\u00a0to exclude contracts with companies involved in violations of human rights and international law.\u00a0This paves the way to target companies complicit in Israel\u2019s genocidal onslaught on Gaza and its crimes all over Palestine.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n The Municipality of Copenhagen\u00a0cut tie<\/a>s<\/a>\u00a0with companies involved in Israeli settlements, including Booking.com, Expedia Group and Airbnb<\/strong>. Mayor Sophie Haestorp Andersen stated: \u201cAs a large investor, we have a responsibility for things like human rights. That’s why I don’t think we should invest in companies that have to do with illegal settlements.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Lasty, the Province of Utrecht decided not to award their profitable contracts to Dutch company EBS Public Transportation.\u00a0ELSC, among others – including\u00a0BDS activists<\/a>\u00a0– had called on the province to cut such ties<\/strong>\u00a0because of the\u00a0involvement of its parent Israeli company (Egged) in serious human rights abuses in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n Widespread media coverage on our criminal complaint against Booking.com continues, with a recent piece published by ABC News Australia<\/strong>\u00a0where our Senior Legal Officer Daan recalls that colonies established in the West Bank are war crimes and that Booking.com is profiting from war crimes by listing accommodations in these settlements: “So our argument is that any money derived from those settlements is also indirectly derived from those war crimes\u201d.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Our Monitor Project Officer for Germany Tobias provided research and commentary\u00a0on the policing of solidarity with Palestine during the Euros 2024<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n One of our Germany lawyers and expert on migration law, Alexander Gorski, talks about the most recent developments in\u00a0Germany\u2019s\u00a0racist legislation\u00a0<\/strong>and\u00a0their implications with regards to surveillance and attacks on freedom of expression. Read more about it\u00a0in German here<\/a>, and\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Share the related\u00a0AlarabyTV<\/a>\u00a0reportage on\u00a0X<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n KNOW YOUR RIGHTS SESSION AT UNIVERSITY OF MILAN\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n In June, we held our first \u2018Know You Rights\u2019 session in Italy at the university of Milan.\u00a0Two lawyers from our legal network provided Palestine solidarity activists with advice on how to protect themselves from increasing repression as they continue to mobilise<\/strong>\u00a0for divestment and an end to complicity with Israel\u2019s most recent genocidal onslaught on Gaza and the ongoing colonisation of Palestine. \u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n KNOW YOUR RIGHTS SESSION WITH STUDENTS IN BERLIN\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Together with three lawyers from our Solidarity Lawyers Network in Berlin,\u00a0we organised a Know Your Rights Session with about 40 students mobilising at universities in Berlin<\/strong>. We provided legal advice and strategies to collectively move against the growing repression of student activism in Germany.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n COMMUNITY EVENT IN BERLIN\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n We held our second Berlin Community Event<\/strong>\u00a0on Saturday, 22nd June, at Haus der Demokratie, to collectively reflect on the current political context and to think through strategic collaborations and needed priorities for the ELSC to effectively support the Palestine solidarity movement in Germany. The event was attended by\u00a0over 50 activists\u00a0<\/strong>including student activists, journalists, and movement lawyers.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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\r\n\r\n\r\nMORE VICTORIES FOR THE MOVEMENT<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\r\n\r\n\r\nELSC IN THE MEDIA<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\r\n\r\n\r\nELSC EVENTS<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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