The criminalization of Palestinian leaders
Adalah’s Legal Director, Dr. Hassan Jabareen, Attorney Ahmad Khalifa and Mohammad Taher Jabareen at a sentencing hearing at the Haifa Magistrates’ Court, 22 June 2026
Adalah reports on 6 August 2026:
By exploiting Israel’s 2016 Counter-Terrorism Law, which enables arbitrary and disproportionate violations of fundamental rights, including freedom of expression and association, and the right to protest, the state has systematically criminalized legitimate political speech and civic activism. Palestinian leaders face arrest, prolonged detention, and politically motivated prosecutions, as police and prosecutors rely on expansive and discriminatory interpretations of law to suppress lawful expression and dissent.
Adalah is at the forefront of defending the freedom of expression of Palestinian leaders in Israel. We provide legal representation at every stage of proceedings, from arrest and interrogation to indictment, through criminal trials and appeals against wrongful convictions. Taken together, these cases reveal a deliberate state policy of “selective enforcement” aimed at silencing the Palestinian leadership, intimidating political participation, and suppressing the right of Palestinian citizens of Israel (PCI) to criticize governmental policies, and advocate for justice in every sphere of public life. This newsletter highlights some recent developments in Adalah’s legal representations of Palestinian leaders.