Lawyers establish Flotilla Justice Group to coordinate legal action on behalf of flotilla victims

October 23-24, 2010

Doha, Qatar, 25 October –International legal experts and lawyers of victims of the Gaza Freedom Flotilla today announced the establishment of the “Flotilla Justice Group” at the conclusion of a two-day conference that brought together 70 representatives from more than 20 countries. As a continuation of the meeting held in Istanbul this past July 15, the lawyers gathered in Doha with the aim of coordinating legal actions to hold Israel accountable for its 31 May 2010 attack on the Freedom Flotilla.

The international advocacy groups, law firms, legal and media experts, and lawyers in attendance met in a number of workshops to produce a comprehensive strategy for national, regional and international legal action, inter-organizational coordination, and media mobilization. “The Flotilla Justice Group” will serve as a coordination mechanism for facilitating communication and the exchange of information between lawyers working on behalf of victims around the world.

Bettahar Boudjellal, a Qatar-based international legal expert, said, “Israel’s attack on the First Freedom Flotilla breached international, human rights and humanitarian law. Our efforts to unify the legal actions through a designated coordination apparatus will allow us to collectively bring the State of Israel to justice. More importantly, it will serve as a foundation for responding to Israel’s future violations.”

The conference workshops were led by prominent personalities within the growing movement to end the Israeli blockade of Gaza, and included representatives from the following countries: Bahrain, Belgium, Bosnia Herzegovina, Canada, Egypt, France, Greece, Indonesia, Italy, Jordan, Kuwait, Macedonia, the Netherlands, Pakistan, Palestine, Spain, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Yemen.

“The creation of the Flotilla Justice Group is a vital step forward on the road to holding Israel accountable for its crimes,” said Chris Doyle, a Middle East expert in attendance at the conference and Director of the Council for Arab-British Understanding (CAABU).

Organizations and firms participating in the conference included: the Turkish ?nsan Hak ve Hürriyetleri ?nsani Yard?m Vakf? (IHH), the Free Gaza Movement, European Campaign to End Siege on Gaza (ECESG), Council for Arab-British Understanding (CAABU), the Ship to Gaza Sweden, the Ship to Gaza Greece, the Organization for Human Rights and Solidarity for Oppressed People (MAZLUMDER), the Elmadag Law Firm from Turkey, the UK-based Hickman and Rose law firm, Boye-Elbal Associates, Indonesian Muslims’ Lawyer Team, and the Muslim Lawyers Association of South Africa.

The conference was organized by the Doha-based international Al Fakhoora campaign, dedicated to providing and expanding access to education for students in Gaza.

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