A joint complaint to the United Nations concerning the travel ban imposed on Omar Barghouti by Israeli authorities has been issued by Lawyers for Palestinian Human Rights (LPHR), the Palestinian Human Rights Organisations Council (PHROC) and the National Lawyers Guild (NLG).

Barghouti has also faced  restrictions apparently due to his prominent involvement in the Boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement.

Barghouti is a permanent resident of Israel and is therefore required to renew his travel documents every two years. On April 19, 2016, he was informed by the Israeli Ministry of Interior that his request to renew his travel document had been rejected and he had also been denied a re-entry permit, reported Addameer.

Lawyers submit #UN complaint on the travel ban and repression of #Humanrightsdefender #BDS founder Omar Barghouti https://t.co/gANPJgLl2T

— War on Want (@WarOnWant) June 23, 2016

The decision not to renew Barghouti’s travel documents appears to be a preliminary step to revoke his permanent residency. It has recently been confirmed by the Israeli government that revocation of his residency is currently under review by the attorney general due to his international travel to promote the BDS movement.

During a conference in Jerusalem on March 28, 2016, the Israeli Intelligence Minister, Yisrael Katz, spoke of “targeted civil eliminations” of BDS leaders. Furthermore, the Minister of Strategic Affairs, Gilad Erdan, called for BDS leaders to “pay the price” for their work, followed by a clarification that he did not intend physical harm.

Barghouti’s work entitles him to the human rights protections outlined in the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders.

(PC, Addameer)