War On Words: Targeting of Palestinian Press by Israeli Forces

Since October 2015, the occupation forces intensified prosecution of Palestinian journalists, who impart, document and disseminate information on human rights violations committed against the Palestinian people, effectively silencing and repressing them. The Israeli occupation forces have arrested several Palestinian journalists since the beginning of 2016, bringing the number of journalists detained in Israeli jails to 27 journalists. These arrests and prosecutions have targeted dozens of correspondents, local cameramen, photographers, as well as members of the press, seven of whom are detained under administrative detention; this includes Addameer colleague and Media Officer Hasan Safadi, who was arrested on 01/05/2016 while crossing Al-Karameh bridge and was placed under administrative detention after 40 days of interrogation. Journalist Omar Nazzal was also arrested while en route to participation in the European Federation of Journalists General Meeting on 23/04/2016. Mr. Nazzal was placed under administrative detention set to end on 22 August 2016, but was renewed a further until 21 November 2016. Additionally, Malek Al-Qadi, a media student at Al-Quds University was arrested on 23 May 2016 and placed under administrative detention. Al-Qadi went on an open hunger strike since 15 July 2016 and currently he is in a critical health condition. Journalists continue to be  targeted due to their efforts to document Israeli violations, including its practices of land confiscation, house demolitions and movement restrictions on the Palestinian population.

Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association condemns the continued and systematic targeting and arrests of journalists and the closure of several Radio and TV Channels, including Al-Sanabel Radio Station, Manbar Al-Hurria Radio Station, Al-Khalil Radio Station, Dream Radio Station, Nas Radio Station, and Palestine Today TV Channel. Addameer considers journalists to be human rights defenders in accordance with the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, which characterizes the following as activities of human rights defenders: (a) Collecting and disseminating information on violations; (b) investigating, gathering information regarding and report on human rights violations; (c) investigating and reporting on violations to help end ongoing violations. Thus, the persecution of journalists hinders dissemination of information on human rights violations currently taking place in occupied Palestine, and constitutes repression of press freedom as well as freedom of speech. 

Following is a table of journalists currently held in detention by occupation forces: