Every year, on 20 December, the world celebrates the International Day of Human Solidarity, an occasion to highlight the unity of humanity in all its diversity.
In its resolution 60/209, adopted on 17 March 2006, the General Assembly defined solidarity as one of the fundamental and universal values that should govern relations among peoples. To this end, it decided to proclaim 20 December as the International Day of Human Solidarity, to remind Governments of the need to honour their commitments under international agreements, to raise public awareness of the importance of solidarity and to encourage discussion on ways to promote this human value.
This day comes at a time when many Arab governments are working to criminalise solidarity with victims of human rights violations or with the just Palestinian cause. This phenomenon has been documented by Alkarama in numerous cases of arbitrary arrests and enforced disappearances, particularly in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.According to many documented cases, the victims of this criminalisation of human solidarity are subjected to unfair trials under cybercrime or anti-terrorism laws.
In this context, Alkarama has observed that the Saudi government has for decades pursued a policy of repression and restriction against all peaceful dissenting voices. However, the intensification of repression against any voice critical of the Israeli occupation in Palestine or supporting the Palestinian people's right to independence, self-determination and resistance to occupation remains incomprehensible.
The United Arab Emirates is taking a similar approach, putting pressure on anyone who expresses solidarity with the Palestinian people, including expatriates. Alkarama has expressed its deep concern about this, stressing that such practices constitute a violation of international human rights law and the obligations of the states concerned under this law.