Watchdog claims dissent being suppressed by Palestinian Authority, Hamas

These incidents have nothing to do with freedom of the press, says Palestinian govt spokesperson

The Human Rights Watch (HRW) has said that the Palestinian authorities have been suppressing free speech by abusing local journalists and activists who criticise their policies.

The leading human rights organisation has accused both the Western-backed Palestinian Authority headed by President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank and the Hamas group in the Gaza strip.

They are "arresting, abusing, and criminally charging journalists and activists who express peaceful criticism of the authorities.



"The Palestinian governments in both Gaza and the West Bank are arresting and even physically abusing activists and journalists who express criticism on important public issues," said Sari Bashi, the Israel and Palestine country director at Human Rights Watch.

The authorities have even arrested the activists and musicians who "ridiculed Palestinian security forces" and "accused the government of corruption" they posted on Facebook, made music of or expressed in their graffiti.

In a recent case, the organisation said, Hamas detained a man because he apparently criticised the militant group for not being able to protect a man with mental disability. Another journalist was arrested similarly for posting a photograph a woman looking for food in a garbage bin.



Activists and journalists said that security officers beat or kicked them, deprived them of sleep and proper food, hosed them with cold and then hot water, and made them maintain uncomfortable positions for long hours., the HRW added.

Tarik Abu Zaid, who is a journalist associated with Hamas-affiliated- al Aqsa TV, says he was arrested thrice by Palestinian Authority, for a month each time.

"For the first week, the investigation was friendly," he said, adding, "But by the end of the first week, they started using several ways of physical and psychological torture to make me confess to charges that I didn't do."

Spokesperson for the West Bank government Jamal Dajani said that such incidents were "isolated" and did not reflect the official government policy, adding that some journalists were only arrested under defamation laws.

"These incidents have nothing to do with freedom of the press," he said.

"The government is working on creating a better environment for press freedom. We believe in and support the freedom of speech and the right for journalists to operate freely in Palestine."

Hamas officials declined to comment on the issue when asked.

The article originally appeared on Haaretz