Ref: 42/2009
Date: 15 September 2009
Silencing the Press:
New Report on IOF Attacks on Journalists Operating in the OPT
The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) published a new report on Israeli attacks against journalists. This report is the twelfth in a series of PCHR reports titled “Silencing the Press”, which document attacks carried out by Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) against journalists operating in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) and on media institutions. The reports cover the period between 1 November 2007 and 31 August 2009. This report covers the period of the latest Israeli military offensive on the Gaza Strip, codenamed “Operation Cast Lead”, that took place between 27 December 2008 and 18 January 2009. During this offensive, there had been a significant escalation in attacks by IOF against journalists and staff of local and international press agencies and media institutions.
This new report includes detailed documentation of IOF attacks on journalists and media institutions, supported by testimonies from victims and eyewitness and by field investigations. PCHR’s investigations refute many IOF claims relative to certain crimes, including opening fire at journalists. PCHR believe that these crimes were committed willfully using excessive lethal force, without taking into consideration the principles of distinction and proportionality, and that these crimes were not justified by military necessity.
The report points out that IOF significantly escalated attacks against journalists and media institutions during the reporting period. It observes 237 attacks on the press, including: violations of journalists’ right to life and right to safety and security of person; beating journalists and subjecting them to other means of violence and humiliating and degrading treatment; arresting and detaining journalists; denying journalist access to certain areas and preventing them from covering certain events; confiscation of media equipment and devices; blowing up or raiding media centers and misusing their contents; preventing journalists from traveling abroad; and raiding journalists’ houses.
The report also documents IOF crimes against journalists and staff of media institutions during the latest Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip, despite the protection granted to them by international law. During the offensive, IOF killed two Palestinian journalists while on duty, while another two Palestinian journalists were killed due to the excessive use of lethal force against civilians and due to indiscriminate bombardments. In addition, nine journalists were wounded while on duty as a result of bombardments that targeted media offices or civilian establishments. Two media crews were detained by IOF who fired at them without reporting any casualties. Further, five media offices were bombarded by IOF.
Between 28 September 2000 and 31 August 2009, PCHR documented 11 killings committed by IOF against journalists and staffs of local and international media institutions. The report concludes by noting that the majority of attacks carried out by IOF against journalists and local and international press agencies were intentional and willful, as they are a part of an Israeli systematic policy aiming at imposing a state of isolation on the OPT, as a first step to escalate crimes of killing and ill-treatment against unarmed Palestinians.
In this report, PCHR calls upon the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to fulfill their obligations and take immediate and prompt action in order to provide international protection to the Palestinian people and their property. PCHR calls also upon all international press agencies to continue following up attacks committed against Palestinian journalists and make all possible efforts at the international level to ensure the exertion of pressure on the government of Israel to stop its crimes against the Palestinian people and their property in general, and against journalists in particular.
