#WeWillNotBeSilent - Lawyer training sessions
#WeWillNotBeSilent, a joint Adalah and Baladna project funded by the European Union, aims to protect and promote the freedom of expression (FOE) of Arab Palestinian youth in Israel. The project works to empower young Arab women and men with trainings and educational tools to fully exercise their FOE rights, including youths who are involved in political and social activism, formal and informal youth groups, and social media advocacy. It also seeks to defend Arab youth by providing legal representation against violations of their FOE rights in Israel, and by conducting media advocacy to Arabic, Hebrew and foreign media outlets to raise local and international awareness about their rights-violations.
Adalah has held three trainings for this group of 15 women and 5 men on Freedom of Expression rights. In February 2016, Adalah convened the first training, a two-day course held in Nazareth, which featured lectures by various lawyers and experts covering the historical context of restrictions on FOE of Arab citizens, Supreme Court case law, representing protestors arrested by the police before the Israeli courts, the rights of workers and university students fired or disciplined for expressing political views on Facebook and in other forums, and other subjects. The second training, held in Adalah's Office in Haifa, focused on designing presentations for workshops that the 20 lawyers would give to educate Arab youth across Israel about their rights to FOE. The third training was also held in Adalah's Office Haifa in December 2016. 25 young Arab lawyers and journalists participated in this session. Speakers from the Arab Culture Association and +972 Magazine addressed the group. Adalah provided an update on recent FOE cases and new relevant legislation such as the Anti-Terror Law, among others. Further, the lawyers had an opportunity to assess their progress in HR awareness-raising on FOE rights to Arab youth, their needs and concerns.
On 28 April 2016, Adalah, Baladna, and 7amleh held an opening event for the joint project at the Khashabi Theatre in Haifa. The event featured an introduction to the project, an overview of the legal context of FOE rights of Palestinian Arab youth in Israel, a photo exhibition and testimonies from young Arab women and men who were arrested/detained for exercising their FOE rights.
First Lawyers' Training on Freedom of Expression
5-6 February 2016 – St. Gabriel Hotel, Nazareth
[CLICK HERE to view photos from this training]
Day 1 – 5 February 2016
Dr. Yousef Jabareen, Joint List MK: The constitutional framework of freedom of expression in Israel
Gadeer Nicola, Director of Nazareth Office, Kav L'Oved: Violations of workers' rights regarding freedom of expression
Attorney Auni Banna: Defending the right to protest and rights of detainees
Attorney Hussein Abu Hussein, Chairman of Adalah's Board: Criminal offenses and the limits of expression on social media
Attorney Alaa Mahajna: Limits on freedom of expression in academic institutes
Day 2 – 6 February 2016
Adalah Attorney Aram Mahameed: Defending FOE detainees in the pre-filing stage of a criminal indictment
Omar Khamaisi, Director, Meezan: Limits of political expression and freedom of association
Adalah Attorneys Suhad Bishara & Mohammad Bassam: Summary and preparations for the next stages of the project
Second Lawyers' Training on Freedom of Expression – 19 February 2016
[CLICK HERE to view photos from this training]
Mohamad Zidani: Teaching Methods
Adalah Attorney Mohammad Bassam: Highlights & information on freedom of expression and what should be included in the lectures
Workshops: Establishing format of the lectures which the lawyers will impart to students
Third Lawyers' Training on Freedom of Expression – 9 December 2016
Rami Younis (+972 Magazine): Being a political activists & journalist simultaneously
Adalah Attorney Mohammad Bassam: Legal updates on recent Adalah cases
