"The Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers (ANZASW) condemns the further arrest of colleagues in the
Occupied Palestinian Territories. These incidents follow the arrest of social worker Munther Amira, taken during a
protest against child prisoners held by Israel on 27th December.
Muhammed Lutfi was arrested on the 9th January, while Hassan Faraj and Wesam Hamdan were also detained on the 12th
January at a peaceful rally demanding the release of child detainees and their colleague, Munther Amira.
ANZASW wishes to express solidarity with all social workers currently held by Israel and calls for their unconditional
release. This includes Nidal Abu Aker and Ghassan Zawahra who have been in administrative detention since 2014.
No one should be detained for simply exercising their right to peaceful assembly and protest as protected under Article
20 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Social workers in Palestine support vulnerable people, including many children, in difficult circumstances, living with
the ongoing effects of life under occupation; acts of peaceful protest against the mistreatment of children is both
legitimate and principled.
ANZASW calls on its colleagues in national Social Work associations and Unions to similarly condemn the continuing
detention of Social Workers in Palestine and to call for their immediate release."
ENDS