Ref: 4/2023
Date: 11 January 2023
Time: 12:00 GMT
The Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) condemns the Palestinian security services’ forcible dispersal of a peaceful protest organized yesterday by the families of detainees held by the Palestinian Authority (PA) in Nablus. The security services attacked and fired tear gas canisters at the protesters, assaulted a journalist and prevented him from livestreaming in addition to confiscating his ID card. PCHR affirms that the right to peaceful assembly and right to freedom of opinion and expression are both guaranteed under the Palestinian Basic Law and by the relevant international standards. PCHR calls upon the Palestinian Government to take the necessary measures to end these violations and respect citizens’ public freedoms and freedom of press that are guaranteed constitutionally and in accordance with international human rights standards.
According to PCHR’s investigations, at approximately 16:00, on Tuesday, 10 January 2023, persons organized a peaceful assembly in central Nablus upon calls from the families of detainees held by the security services, demanding the PA release a number of those detained. The protest was oragnized at the Martyrs Square, in central Nablus, where the protestors raised banners with slogans calling for the detainees’ release. As a result, a large force of Palestinian security officers arrived, surrounded the protestors, threw teargas canisters between them, ordering them to leave and trying to disperse them. Later, 3 masked National Security officers headed to the journalists at the Martyrs Square, ordered journalist Mohammad Turkman (25), Al-Jazeera Mubasher Reporter, and shouted at him to end the livestreaming. Then, 4 Palestinian Intelligence officers approached and confiscated his ID card and cell phone, which they returned to him around half an hour later.
Turkman said to PCHR that 3 masked Palestinian National Security officers in their military uniform attacked him and ordered him to close the live broadcast although he introduced himself and was wearing the clearly distinctive PRESS vest. Four other intelligence officers then attacked him and confiscated his ID card as well as his cell phone before returned them to him after half an hour.
PCHR affirms that the right to peaceful assembly and the right to freedom of expression are two fundamental rights guaranteed by the Palestinian Basic Law and international conventions binding on Palestine.
PCHR stresses that the PA should respect the constitution and its international obligations under the 1966 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights that ensures no restrictions may be placed on the exercise of the right of peaceful assembly.
PCHR also calls upon the PA and the Palestinian Prime Minister, in his capacity as the Minister of Interior, to work seriously on ending any violations committed by the security services against the rights and freedoms protected by the Palestinian Basic Law and international laws binding on Palestine.