Haq, Al-

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HAQ, AL-

Important Palestinian nonpartisan human rights and legal assistance organization in the West Bank, founded in 1979 by Raja Shehadeh and Jonathan Kuttab. The organization's name is usually given as "Law in the Service of Man"; the Arabic word haq signifies "fairness," "justice," "law," and "truth.") Originally focused on Israeli legal structures and behavior in the occupied territories, since the establishment of the Palestinian Authority in 1994 it also takes official Palestinian activity within its purview. Its primary activities are monitoring and documenting human rights violations, including war crimes; providing free legal services to the Palestinian community; producing reports and analyses on human rights issues; disseminating information on human rights principles; and intervening to stop or prevent abuses. Al-Haq is headquartered in Ramallah and affiliated with the International Commission of Jurists in Geneva. It has an informal relationship with many international nongovernmental organizations as well as a consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council. It receives its funding from private foundations, human rights and social justice organizations, and individual contributors.

SEE ALSO Occupied Territories;Palestinian Authority;West Bank.

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