According to a study commissioned by the Arab Association of Human Rights entitled "Silencing Dissent," over the period 1999–2002, eight of nine of the then Arab Knesset members were beaten by Israeli forces during demonstrations. Most recently according to the report, legislation has been passed, including three election laws banning political parties, and two Knesset related laws aimed to "significantly curb the minority population right to choose a public representative and for those representatives to develop independent political platforms and carry out their duties".