Israeli authorities committed 561 violations against Palestinian journalists and media institutions in the occupied Palestinian territories (oPt) during 2020, reported Gaza's Government Information Bureau in its annual report.
The Bureau stated that the month of February witnessed the highest rate of violations against journalists, most of which were represented by an increase in the number of attacks, injuries, and arrests against them while their coverage in the oPt.
According to the report, the number of arrests and prosecutions amounted to (132) cases, while the cases of prevention from coverage and the exercise of work reached (122) cases to prevent them from practicing their professional work and covering events, including insults, insults, pushing and kicking.
It pointed out that the Israeli authorities used the methods of pressure and prosecutions in a systematic manner to scare and silence journalists, which included more (91) cases of incitement, accusation, and conspiracy with the administrations of communication sites, which varied between closing down and threatening to close and disturb media institutions, websites, accounts, and pages, often in the context of fighting Palestinian content.
Moreover, it added that Israel used the method of revoking identity cards, preventing travel, and confiscating journalists' property or equipment in which they practice their work, with the aim of disrupting them and preventing them from fulfilling their mission and documenting the Israeli crimes against the Palestinian people, which during 2020 amounted to approximately (46) cases.
The Bureau warned of the danger of continuing the Israeli violation of the right of journalists without any international or Arab deterrence and without accountability for its crimes against media freedoms.
It also urged the United Nations Human Rights Council to form an investigation committee to record and document violations of human rights and international humanitarian law in the oPt.
In addition, it appealed to the World Health Organization and the International Red Cross to follow up on the health conditions of the journalist prisoners, in light of the spread of COVID19.
Source : Safa