Palestine: Information on Tamarod, including treatment of members and supporters by the Palestinian authorities (2013-November 2016)

Information on the situation of Tamarod and the treatment of its members and supporters after 2013 could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

1. Overview

According to sources, Tamarod [also known as Tamarrud, Ya Felistini Tamarod, Gaza Tamarod or Tamarod Gaza], which can be translated to "Rebellion" (The New York Times 23 Aug. 2013; The Jerusalem Post 19 Aug. 2013; FARS 9 July 2013), "Rebel" (The Telegraph 8 Aug. 2013; The Christian Science Monitor 31 July 2013) or "Revolt" (The Economist 16 Nov. 2013; BBC 10 Nov. 2013), is a movement formed to protest against the Hamas government in the Gaza Strip (ibid.; Human Rights Watch 25 Nov. 2013; Al-Monitor 12 Nov. 2013). On 9 July 2013, Iranian News agency FARS reported that members of "a new group" calling itself Tamarod had marched through the streets of Ramallah (FARS 9 July 2013). British newspaper The Telegraph indicates that Tamarod held its "first public demonstration" in Gaza at the end of July, early August 2013 (8 Aug. 2013).

Sources describe Tamarod as a "youth movement" (The New York Times 23 Aug. 2013) or "youth protest group" (Gulf News 10 Nov. 2013). According to the BBC, it was formed by young university students (10 Nov. 2013). Sources report that the Gazan Tamarod was inspired by the Tamarod movement in Egypt, which organized protests leading to the ousting of the then Egyptian president (ibid.; Egypt Independent 14 Nov. 2016; The Christian Science Monitor 31 July 2013) in July 2013 (ibid.).

According to Human Rights Watch, Tamarod "criticized what it calls poor governance by Hamas and abuses by security services, and has called on Hamas to relinquish power and hold elections" (25 Nov. 2013). In 2013, the BBC likewise reported that Tamarod accused the Hamas government of failing "'to provide a decent life'," and asserted that the regime's security agency "repressed and intimidated Palestinians" (BBC 10 Nov. 2013). The same source added that the movement also claimed that Hamas had "abandoned its goal of armed resistance against Israel" (ibid.). According to the Jerusalem Post, affiliates of Tamarod described Hamas as being composed of "medieval gangsters" and accused it of "torture, sabotage, smuggling, bribery and thuggery" (19 Aug. 2013).

Sources report that Hamas suspected Fatah, a rival political organization, of being responsible for the creation of Tamarod (ibid.; Gulf News 10 Nov. 2013; BBC 10 Nov. 2013). However, according to sources, Fatah denied any involvement with the group (ibid.; Gulf News 10 Nov. 2013). A report to the UN Human Rights Council by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) stated that there appeared to be "a few" Tamarod groups in Gaza, which "gather followers through social media, independently from any political party" (UN 13 Jan. 2014, para. 65).

According to the Egypt Independent online newspaper, while there was confusion over the organizational structure and leadership of the Gazan Tamarod, the movement reportedly "consists of a central organization scattered across the Middle East and Europe with [according to a member] 20,000 active members working inside and outside Palestine" (Egypt Independent 14 Nov. 2014). The same source indicates that the main leader of the group was reportedly based in Gaza, while other leaders were based in Norway, Spain and Egypt (ibid.). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

2. Activities

According to the BBC, Hamas dismissed Tamarod as only being a "virtual" movement (10 Nov. 2013). An article published by Al-Monitor, a news website that reports on events in the Middle East (Al-Monitor n.d.), likewise cites political writer Atef Abu Seif [1] as stating the movement is a "virtual one" (ibid. 12 Nov. 2013). The BBC notes that Tamarod publicised its criticisms of Hamas on its Facebook page, which had been "liked" 70,000 times as of 10 November 2013 (BBC 10 Nov. 2013). According to the same source, a founder of the group also claimed that Tamarod had collected 45,000 signatures in support of its activities (ibid.).

Sources indicate that [in August 2013 (The Jerusalem Post 19 Aug. 2013)] Tamarod called for a protest to be held on 11 November 2013 (ibid.; The New York Times 23 Aug. 2013). Sources further explained that the date was the 9th anniversary of the death of former Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat (BBC 10 Nov. 2013; Human Rights Watch 25 Nov. 2013).

According to sources, the 11 November 2013 protest was called off by Tamarod due to fears that Hamas security forces would use force to stop the demonstration (ibid.; RSF June 2014, 25). In June 2014, Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières, RSF) indicated that "[m]any activists and campaigners received explicit SMS messages threatening them if they took part in the demonstration," without specifying the source of these messages (ibid.). The Economist also reports that "Hamas banned the [commemoration of Arafat's death] and threatened to shoot protesters on sight" (16 Nov. 2013). According to British newspaper The Spectator,

Hamas was all too clear about what would happen to anyone who turned up. It launched its own social media campaign against Tamarod Gaza, warning in one Facebook skit: "Come to the demonstration and get your free coffin or wheelchair. Our representatives will be waiting to assist you." (22 Mar. 2014)

3. Treatment of Members and Supporters

According to Human Rights Watch, alleged supporters of Tamarod were subjected to "threats" and "harassment" by Hamas authorities (25 Nov. 2013). The BBC reports that Hamas also set up night-time security checkpoints in the lead-up to the 11 November 2013 planned demonstration (10 Nov. 2013). Another OHCHR report to the UN Human Rights Council states that in November 2013, the Gaza government's Internal Security Agency also "launched a wide-scale campaign targeting alleged members of the Tamarod movement across the Gaza Strip, including by raiding their houses [and] confiscating property (such as laptop computers and mobile telephones)" (UN 2 Mar. 2015, para. 61). The report adds that

[m]any Palestinians in Gaza reported to OHCHR that they were forced to sign a document stating that they would not participate in any movement and not incite hatred against the authorities in Gaza, nor engage in any hostile activities or demonstration against them. (ibid., para. 62)

Sources indicate that individuals linked to Tamarod were arrested and detained by authorities (ibid. 13 Jan. 2014, para. 65; Human Rights Watch 25 Nov. 2013; BBC 10 Nov. 2013). According to RSF, journalists were also "detained, questioned and threatened in September and October 2013" in the lead-up to the planned demonstration of 11 November 2013 (June 2014, 25). Some sources report that at least 50 Palestinians linked to Tamarod were detained (The Guardian 2 Sept. 2013; The New York Times 23 Aug. 2013). Sources also cite local claims as stating that "hundreds" (Gulf News 10 Nov. 2013; Al-Monitor 12 Nov. 2013) or "even thousands" of Tamarod supporters had been detained (ibid.).

Sources state that some of those detained were reportedly subjected to mistreatment (UN 2 Mar. 2015, para. 58; ibid. 13 Jan. 2014, para. 65), or torture (Human Rights Watch 25 Nov. 2013; PCHR 22 Oct. 2014, 11-15). In an EU-funded report on torture in Palestinian prisons and detention centers, the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) provides several detailed accounts from individuals who claim they were detained, interrogated and brutalized due to their alleged links to Tamarod (ibid.).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Note

[1] Atef Abu Seif completed a PhD in political and social science at the European University Institute in Florence (Comma Press n.d.). He is described as "a regular contributor to a number of Palestinian and Arabic newspapers and journals" (ibid.).

References

Al-Monitor. 12 November 2013. Asmaa al-Ghoul. "Tamarod Protest Fails in Gaza." [Accessed 4 Nov. 2016]

Al-Monitor. N.d. "About." [Accessed 15 Nov. 2016]

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). 10 November 2013. Rushdi Abualouf. "Gaza Gears up for Anti-Hamas Tamarod Protest Group." [Accessed 4 Nov. 2016]

The Christian Science Monitor. 31 July 2013. Daniel Nisman. "A Rare Opportunity to Influence Hamas." [Accessed 8 Nov. 2016]

Comma Press. N.d. "Atef Abu Saif." [Accessed 15 Nov. 2016]

The Economist. 16 November 2013. "The Gaza Strip: Miserable and Weak Again." [Accessed 8 Nov. 2016]

Egypt Independent. 14 November 2013. Tom Rollins. "From the Shadows: the Failure of Gaza Tamarod." [Accessed 8 Nov. 2016]

FARS. 9 July 2013. "Masked Demonstrators Call for 3rd Intifada in Ramallah." (Factiva)

The Guardian. 2 September 2013. "Egyptian Judges Call for Muslim Brotherhood to Be Dissolved." [Accessed 8 Nov. 2016]

Gulf News. 10 November 2013. Nasouh Nazzal. "Fatah: Time for Gazans to Revolt Against Hamas." [Accessed 8 Nov. 2016]

Human Rights Watch. 25 November 2013. "Gaza: Abuse, Harassment of Activists. 'Tamarod' Supporters Forced to Cancel November 11 Protest." [Accessed 4 Nov. 2016]

The Jerusalem Post. 19 August 2013. Khaled Abu Toameh. "Activists Inspired by Ouster of Morsi Launch Campaign to Overthrow Hamas in Gaza." [Accessed 8 Nov. 2016]

The New York Times. 23 August 2013. Jody Rudoren. "Pressure Rises on Hamas as Patrons' Support Fades." [Accessed 8 Nov. 2016]

Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR). 22 October 2014. Report on Crimes of Torture in Palestinian Prisons and Detention Centers May 2013 – June 2014. [Accessed 3 Nov. 2016]

Reporters sans frontières (RSF). June 2014. Palestinian Journalists Caught Between Three Sides. [Accessed 3 Nov. 2016]

The Spectator. 22 March 2014. Daniella Peled. "Is Hamas Finally Losing Its Grip on Gaza?" [Accessed 8 Nov. 2016]

The Telegraph. 8 August 2013. Robert Tait. "Hamas Opponent Fear Crackdown in Gaza." [Accessed 8 Nov. 2016]

United Nations (UN). 2 March 2015. Human Rights Council. Implementation of Human Rights Council Resolutions S-9/1 and S-12/1: Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. (A/HRC/28/80) [Accessed 3 Nov. 2016]

United Nations (UN). 13 January 2014. Human Rights Council. Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the Implementation of Human Rights Council Resolutions S-9/1 and S-12/1. (A/HRC/25/40). [Accessed 3 Nov. 2016]

Additional Sources Consulted

Internet sites, including: Al-Ahram Gate; Al-Akhbar; Amnesty International; Deutche Welle; ecoi.net; The Economist Intelligence Unit; Factiva; Le Figaro; Haaretz; International Crisis Group; IRIN; The Majallah; Marianne; NouvelObs.com; The Palestinian Chronicle; LePoint.Fr; Reuters; UN – Refworld; Xinhua News Agency.