Association for Civil Rights in Israel

History

Established in 1972, ACRI says that they are "committed to promoting the universality of human rights and defending the human rights and civil liberties of all, regardless of religion, nationality, gender, ethnicity, political affiliation, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic background."

The association established its views based on the basic rights recognized in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948, and the values in Declaration of the Establishment of the State of Israel.

In 1981, ACRI instituted a human rights award to be given to "individuals and organizations that have made a outstanding contribution to the advancement of human rights in Israel". The award was later renamed the "Emil Grunzweig Human Rights Award" in 1983.

In 2009, ACRI organized what has become an annual "Human Rights March" to mark International Human Rights Day (December 10) in Tel Aviv.

Activity

ACRI’s Legal Department argues cases before the Supreme Court, and also seeks redress before district and labor courts, government ministries, and Knesset committees.

ACRI’s Education Department conducts human rights training programs, produces educational curricula in Hebrew and Arabic, and organizes conferences and lectures on human rights education. Additionally, ACRI operates a program on International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and offers IHL educational workshops to social activists, students, educators, youth movement counselors, and students at pre-military academies to "enhance the participants’ knowledge of IHL, and to provide opportunities for discussion and for developing their positions on the issues involved."

ACRI publishes reports and information leaflets; organizes lectures, conferences, film screenings and other public and community events covering a wide range of human rights issues; and runs a public hotline to assist people whose rights have been infringed.

Internationally, ACRI submits shadow reports and provides information to UN committees and representatives regarding Israel’s compliance with its human rights obligations; meets with foreign diplomats and government representatives; participates in international conferences and NGO networks; and raises awareness of human rights issues by generating ongoing international media coverage.

ACRI focus on issues pertaining to Arab Minority Rights, Anti-Democratic Initiatives, Freedom of Expression, LGBT Rights, East Jerusalem, Human Rights Defenders in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT), Migrant Workers, Child Rights, Negev Bedouins, Refugees and Asylum Seekers, Right to Health, Women's Rights, and the Right to Housing.

Criticism

Though ACRI does not identify itself politically, there is criticism on different activities of the association, claiming they assist organizations which harm Israel's national security. Such criticism was made by prime-minister Yitzhak Rabin over an appeal about exiling 400 Hamas activists to Lebanon in 1992. Rabin Called ACRI - "Association for Rights of Hamas". Other right-wing activists have called it "Association for Palestinian Civil Rights".

The Emil Grunzweig human rights award

The Emil Grunzweig Human Rights Award is an award made annually by Association for Civil Rights in Israel to "individuals and organizations that have made a outstanding contribution to the advancement of human rights in Israel". The award was established in 1981 as an initiative by Professor Jacob Lorch, but was renamed in 1983 after the murder of activist Emil Grunzweig by a grenade thrown by a right-wing sympathizer during a Peace Now demonstration against the war in Lebanon.

List of recipients

Recipients of the award have included:

Funding

As well as donations from individuals, foundations and other institutions.

Representative publications