A/HRC/40/43 exercise of fundamental freedoms, including freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly, is considered to be arbitrary.67 Israel 37. Abdallah Abu Rahma, a Palestinian human rights defender from the West Bank village of Bil’in, was arrested in May 2016 after having participated in a bicycle ride to mark what Palestinians refer to as Nakba Day68 in Bil’in. The participants in the ride were violently dispersed by Israeli security forces, after the area was declared a closed military zone. In April 2018, Mr. Abu Rahma was convicted by the Israeli Military Court of disobeying a closed military zone order and obstructing a soldier. In its judgment, the court described Mr. Abu Rahma as a “leading inciter” who refused to obey the military for purposes of provocation and then forcibly resisted his own arrest. Mr. Abu Rahma was sentenced on 14 November 2018, to eight months of imprisonment, four of which were suspended, in addition to a fine of NIS 2,000.69 38. The case against two human rights defenders, Issa Amro and Fareed al-Atrash, has been ongoing in Ofer Military Court since 23 November 2016, despite concerns previously raised by the High Commissioner, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967 and the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders.70 Mr. Amro’s indictment includes 18 charges, some of them dating back to 2010, including allegedly obstructing, insulting and assaulting soldiers, incitement and participation in assemblies without a permit. 71 Mr. al-Atrash faces four charges, including participating in an illegal demonstration and assaulting soldiers. 39. Of particular concern is the case of human rights defender Aref Jaber, a well-known activist in the H2 zone in Hebron, who documents human rights violations in that zone, including by photographing and filming the use of force by Israeli security forces and settler violence. Mr. Jaber described to OHCHR the harassment that he and his wife and sons had experienced from Israeli security forces over the past 10 years, including repeated arrests, violent house raids and physical assaults. On 2 June 2018, Mr. Jaber filmed the aftermath of an incident in which Israeli security forces killed a Palestinian man in the H2 zone. Following the incident, Mr. Jaber and his son were arrested, allegedly physically assaulted, and interrogated by Israeli security forces. They were released and ordered to stop filming the security forces. Mr. Jaber was warned that he would be arrested every time he attempted to do so. Later, Israeli security forces stopped him and threatened him with a gun. Mr. Jaber’s other son, aged 17, was arrested and interrogated on 23 June 2018. No charges were brought against him, and he was released after a few hours, after paying a fine of NIS 1,000. Palestinian authorities 40. In the aftermath of demonstrations that took place in June 2018 in the West Bank calling for the lifting of punitive measures imposed by the authorities of the State of Palestine in Gaza, 72 local human rights organizations reported that 56 people had been arrested, beaten and released the next day by Palestinian security forces. 73 A staff member of Amnesty International, Laith Abu Zayed, present to monitor the demonstration, was 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 12 A/HRC/37/42, para. 6. See also A/HRC/36/38. Annual day of commemoration of the displacement of Palestinians that preceded and followed the Declaration of the Establishment of the State of Israel in 1948. An appeal was submitted against the sentence. See www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=21855&LangID=E. A/HRC/37/42, paras. 50–51. Detailed information regarding the demonstrations is provided in document A/HRC/40/39, paras. 60– 62. A/HRC/40/39, para. 61.