Middle East Monitor / January 9, 2020
Israeli occupation forces committed 760 violations and crimes against Palestinian journalists in 2019, the Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate (PJS) has said.
In a report issued by the Freedoms Committee, the PJS recorded 12 critical injuries with live ammunition, 62 injuries with rubber-coated steel bullets and 58 injuries in which tear-gas canisters and stun grenades were directly fired toward journalists.
The report also recorded that 78 journalists suffered from suffocation as a result of tear gas while they were carrying out their work.
Committee head Mohammed Al-Lahham said the Palestinian media has been under constant attacks by the Israeli occupation forces over the last year.
He pointed to the recent closure of Palestinian media institutions in Jerusalem, the latest of which was the closure of Palestine TV, in addition to 30 other violations recorded against journalists in Jerusalem.
The report identified 92 cases in which Israeli occupation forces prevented journalists from doing their job and covering events.
It also noted that several cases of sexual harassment had been recorded against female journalists to force them to leave the field.
At least 250 social media accounts of journalists were shut down, said the report.
Al-Lahham stressed on the necessity of providing the right to freedom of movement for Palestinian journalists.
