Israel/Occupied Palestinian Territories: Drop All Charges Against Ahmad Khalefa

Ahmad Khalefa, a Palestinian citizen of Israel, is a lawyer, human rights defender, community organiser and newly elected city council member. On 19 October 2023, Israeli police violently arrested him along with 10 other demonstrators from a peaceful protest in his native town of Umm al-Fahm in northern Israel. He was subsequently charged with “incitement to terrorism” and “identification with a terrorist group,” for chanting slogans against the war in Gaza. After nearly four months in prison, Ahmad Khalefa was put under house arrest under strict terms, including electronic tagging. His next hearing will be held before the Haifa Magistrate’s court on 8 April 2024. Israeli authorities must immediately and unconditionally release Ahmad Khalefa from house arrest, allow him to resume his work without intimidation and drop the baseless charges against him.