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| ACRI (Association for Civil Rights in Israel) | |
|---|---|
| Name | Association for Civil Rights in Israel |
| Native name | העמותה לזכויות האזרח בישראל |
| Formation | 1972 |
| Founder | Izhar Smilansky (S. Yizhar), Sadiq al-Azm? |
| Type | Non-profit, non-governmental organization |
| Headquarters | Tel Aviv |
| Area served | Israel, Palestinian territories |
| Key people | Avner Hofstein, Gaby Lasky, Michael Sfard |
ACRI (Association for Civil Rights in Israel) is an Israeli non-governmental organization founded in 1972 that defends civil and human rights through litigation, public campaigning, and public education. The organization operates within Israeli courts, engages with international bodies, and conducts public outreach across Israeli and Palestinian societies. ACRI's work intersects with Israeli law, human rights treaties, and regional political developments.
ACRI was established in 1972 amid debates following the Yom Kippur War, the tenure of Golda Meir, and shifts in civil institutions during the era of Menachem Begin and Yitzhak Rabin. Early allies and opponents included figures associated with Israeli Labor Party, Likud, and civil society actors linked to Histadrut and Hadassah. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s ACRI litigated cases connected to the aftermath of the Six-Day War, issues arising from the Palestinian Liberation Organization's presence in the region, and policy debates involving the Knesset and the Supreme Court of Israel. In the 1990s and 2000s ACRI expanded work on issues tied to the Oslo Accords, the Second Intifada, and rulings by Israeli jurists such as Aharon Barak. In the 2010s and 2020s ACRI engaged with controversies around legislation promoted by leaders including Benjamin Netanyahu and rulings concerning the High Court of Justice (Israel), while also responding to events like the Gaza–Israel conflict and decisions by the International Criminal Court.
ACRI's stated mission aligns with principles reflected in instruments such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and judgments of the European Court of Human Rights insofar as they influence comparative law. Its activities include strategic litigation in the Supreme Court of Israel, representation before bodies like the United Nations Human Rights Council, and advocacy in forums such as the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. ACRI intervenes in matters concerning minority rights involving communities such as Arab citizens of Israel, Bedouin populations, and Ethiopian Jews, as well as cases affecting populations in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. It produces legal analyses used by scholars at institutions like the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Tel Aviv University Faculty of Law.
ACRI has litigated landmark cases before the Supreme Court of Israel on issues such as detention policies, administrative orders, and freedom of expression involving defendants linked to events like the Sabra and Shatila massacre aftermath debates and security legislation debated after the First Intifada. Its interventions have addressed use-of-force policies tied to incidents in locations like Hebron, Jerusalem, and Sderot, and contested practices involving agencies such as the Israel Defense Forces and the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency). ACRI lawyers have brought cases concerning reproductive rights and social policy that intersect with rulings by jurists like Miriam Naor and policies enacted under ministers such as Amir Peretz and Ayelet Shaked. The organization has challenged municipal actions by entities including the Jerusalem Municipality and educational regulations involving the Ministry of Education (Israel).
ACRI conducts public campaigns addressing civil liberties in contexts influenced by events like the Al-Aqsa Intifada and the Gaza conflicts, and partners with NGOs such as B'Tselem, Breaking the Silence, and Human Rights Watch. Its education initiatives target students at universities like Bar-Ilan University and Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, collaborate with cultural institutions such as the Israel Museum, and produce materials for teachers affiliated with unions like Histadrut and NGOs linked to Jews for Justice for Palestinians. ACRI’s outreach includes media engagement with outlets like Haaretz, The Jerusalem Post, and international press including The New York Times and BBC News.
ACRI is governed by a board composed of public figures drawn from legal circles associated with firms like Herzog, Fox & Neeman and academics from Bar-Ilan University and Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Its professional staff includes litigators trained at institutions such as Tel Aviv University and clerks who formerly worked with judges from the Supreme Court of Israel. Funding sources have included private foundations connected to philanthropic networks like the Open Society Foundations, grants from international bodies including the European Union, and donations by individuals and charitable organizations in the United States, United Kingdom, and Israel. Financial oversight involves audits and reporting in line with regulations from the Registrar of Non-Profits (Israel) and compliance with taxation frameworks administered by the Israel Tax Authority.
ACRI has faced criticism from politicians in Knesset factions such as Yamina, United Torah Judaism, and Shas for positions taken on security and nationality laws promoted by leaders like Naftali Bennett and Ariel Sharon. Critics have accused ACRI of bias in coverage of events in the West Bank and of aligning with international actors including the United Nations and NGOs like Amnesty International. Supporters counter by citing jurisprudence from the Supreme Court of Israel and comparative rulings by bodies such as the European Court of Human Rights to defend ACRI's interventions. Debates over ACRI’s funding sources have invoked public figures like Avigdor Lieberman and media outlets such as Israel Hayom and prompted parliamentary inquiries in the Knesset State Control Committee.
Category:Civil rights organizations