Adalah appeals to Supreme Court against Haifa University\'s decision to prohibit activities of Arab student clubs on campus

05/06/2014

Attorney Zaher: \"Prohibiting Arab student club activities on campus constitutes a serious violation of the right of Arab students to freedom of expression, to punish them for holding a protest without prior permission\".

Adalah: District Court decision did not address the Dean of Student's lack of authority to make decisions of this kind and violate the student's freedom of expression.

On 5 June 2014, Adalah submitted an appeal to the Supreme Court against the ruling of the Haifa District Court, that approved the decision of the Dean of Haifa University to prohibit all activities organized by the Arab student clubs al-Jabha/Hadash and Abnaa al-Balad. The appeal argued that the District Court's decision ignored fundamental issues including freedom of expression, the right to protest and the freedom of association of Arab students. The appeal further argued that the Dean does not hold the authority to prevent student activities in such a sweeping manner.

Adalah Attorney Sawsan Zaher wrote in the appeal that the law in Israel "restricts the possibility for different authorities to limit the freedom of expression, and only allows it in cases where there is a proven concern that practicing freedom of expression will harm public safety". In this case, Attorney Zaher said, "prohibiting student activities on campus constitutes a serious violation of the right of Arab students to freedom of expression, to punish them for holding a protest without prior permission". Attorney Zaher also noted that the University did not refer in court to the possibility that the activities of the student clubs would harm public order at the university.

The appeal is the latest legal action taken by Adalah against the Dean’s decision on 18 May 2014 to prohibit the activities of al-Jabha and Abnaa al-Balad until the end of the school year, due to their activities to commemorate Nakba Day on campus on 12 May despite the Dean’s refusal to give permission. The dean also announced that he would prohibit any activities organized by the Balad student club for one month, saying that they held a meeting on campus with the Secretary-General of the Balad political party on 28 April without permission. On 27 May 2014, Adalah submitted a petition to the District Court in Haifa against the dean's decision, which the court dismissed on 2 June 2014.