France denies entry to head of Palestinian rights organization Al-Haq
France has refused to grant a visa to Shawan Jabarin, the general director of the Palestinian human rights organization Al-Haq
PARIS (MNTV) – France has refused to grant a visa to Shawan Jabarin, the general director of the Palestinian human rights organization Al-Haq, effectively preventing him from participating in a series of high-profile meetings across Europe, the group announced Thursday.
According to Al-Haq, the visa was denied at the eleventh hour, leaving Jabarin unable to attend scheduled discussions with France’s Parliament, its Foreign Ministry, and the Council of Europe. He had also been due to meet with officials at the European Parliament and Belgium’s Foreign Ministry as part of a broader advocacy campaign centered on Palestinian rights and international accountability.
While another representative from the organization stepped in to cover the Paris and Brussels engagements, Al-Haq stated that the ban on Jabarin’s entry had significantly hampered its human rights work. The organization did note, however, that Jabarin was subsequently granted a Dutch visa, allowing him to travel to The Hague for separate meetings.
Al-Haq described France’s decision as contradictory, pointing out that the country had honored the organization with an award for its human rights contributions back in 2018 — an award Jabarin himself had accepted.
The group connected the visa denial to what it sees as a broader pattern of international pressure targeting accountability bodies.
It cited a February 2025 executive order signed by U.S. President Donald Trump that imposed sanctions on the International Criminal Court, along with follow-up measures affecting ICC officials, UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese, and various Palestinian civil society groups.
Al-Haq accused France and similar states of fostering a culture of impunity that enables ongoing serious violations, including war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Jabarin affirmed that such attempts to suppress the organization’s work would not erase documented evidence or shield perpetrators from responsibility, pledging that Al-Haq’s mission would press on despite efforts to silence it.
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