France bars Palestinian rights group Al-Haq director from entry

France has denied entry to the general director of Al-Haq, preventing him from attending a series of high-level meetings in Europe, the Palestinian rights group said Thursday.

In a statement, the group said Shawan Jabarin was refused a French visa at the "last minute," blocking his participation in scheduled briefings with the French Parliament, the Foreign Ministry, and the Council of Europe.

Jabarin was also expected to attend meetings at the European Parliament and Belgium's Foreign Ministry as part of an advocacy tour focused on accountability and Palestinian rights.

Although another Al-Haq representative attended engagements in Paris and Brussels, the organization said the decision "severely undermined essential human rights advocacy efforts."

It added that Jabarin later obtained a visa from the Netherlands, enabling him to travel to The Hague for other meetings.

The group criticized France's move as inconsistent with its previous support, noting that the French Republic awarded Al-Haq in 2018 for its human rights work, with Jabarin receiving the honor.

Al-Haq linked the visa refusal to what it described as increasing international pressure on accountability mechanisms.

It pointed to a February 2025 executive order issued by US President Donald Trump imposing sanctions on the International Criminal Court, as well as subsequent measures targeting ICC officials, UN special rapporteur Francesca Albanese, and Palestinian human rights organizations.

"States such as France are actively contributing to a climate of impunity and enabling the continuation of grave violations, including war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide," the organization said.

"We reiterate that efforts to silence Al-Haq and its work will not erase the evidence, nor will they absolve those responsible," Jabarin said. "Our work to protect the rights of the Palestinian people and to seek justice will continue despite all efforts at silencing and intimidation."