Par brīvu Palestīnu case

LATVIA

The case involves legal action against a group called “Par brīvu Palestīnu” (English: For Free Palestine). The group’s social media presence and public activities have contributed to rising antisemitism in Latvia by promoting anti-Israel narratives among the population, posing direct threats to Latvian Jews and Jewish community centers, including synagogues, the JCC, and the Chabad center.

Following the October 7 attack, Israeli and Jewish students at Rīgas Stradiņa Universitāte have faced ongoing verbal attacks and harassment orchestrated by Par brīvu Palestīnu, which coordinates its activities with affiliated pro-Palestinian organizations in Estonia and Lithuania.

In May 2024, JEWNITED (an Association of Jewish volunteers from Latvia focused on combating antisemitism and preventing terrorism and extremism propaganda) filed a complaint with the Latvian state police requesting that Par brīvu Palestīnu’s activities be declared illegal and banned. The police rejected this complaint in September 2024. JEWNITED, with support from the IJL, is now appealing this decision to the Latvian General Prosecutor’s Office and has retained the SORAINEN law firm for this purpose.

Additionally, we are preparing an Amicus Curiae brief on behalf of the IJL regarding an appeal filed by Par brīvu Palestīnu with the Constitutional Court of Latvia, concerning a judicial decision that significantly restricted their activities in Latvia.