Mohammad Ayesh
Middle East Eye / September 26, 2023
Palestinian security forces arrested journalist Tariq Yousef Al-Sarkji, 35, from his home in the city of Nablus in the northern West Bank on Monday night, according to Al-Araby al-Jadeed newspaper.
“A force from the Palestinian Preventive Security in civilian clothing raided our house at approximately 10.45 pm local time and informed my husband of his arrest, without presenting an arrest warrant or cards stating that they were security men. Then they confiscated his mobile phone,” Somaya Jawabra, the journalist’s wife, said.
“My husband suffers from diabetes and high blood pressure, and I asked them to let my husband take his medication, and with difficulty I was able to convince them to do so. We fear that his health will worsen in light of his arrest,” she told Al-Araby al-Jadeed.
The Committee of Families of Political Prisoners in the West Bank denounced Al-Sarkji’s arrest and confiscation of his devices.
“These arrests are part of a series of violations committed by the security services of the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank and their ongoing campaign to pursue activists, restrict freedom of opinion and expression, and gag mouths,” the NGO said, according Al-Araby al-Jadeed.
Al-Sarkji works as a photographer with local media outlets and previously worked as a director on local television stations.
Mohammad Ayesh is an Arab journalist currently based in London
