Palestinian journalists gather for protection after police brutality | Media News

Many Palestinian journalists gathered outside the United Nations headquarters in Ramallah on Monday to demand the freedom of the press to follow up on the ongoing violence between Palestinian security forces led by the opposition. death in prison.

Nizar Banat, a 43-year-old from Hebron, a well-known television and television show in the Palestinian Territories (PA), died last week after entering a security cell and was brutally treated, his family said.

Days of unrest between protesters and police has left several journalists injured.

Unlimited reporters said Monday that 12 Palestinian journalists, including five women, were beaten by Palestinian police over the weekend in the West Bank.

Naila Khalil, a reporter for The New Arab newspaper, said Palestinian journalists had submitted a letter to the UN urging the international body to “act swiftly and decisively” to protect media freedom.

Mohammed Gharafi of the Ultra Palestine website says he was harassed by Palestinian security forces who threatened to confiscate their phones if they did not stop filming the protests.

Separately, human rights groups in Ramallah announced on Monday the formation of a legal team to follow the protests to the media.

At a press conference, Independent Commission for Human Rights chief Ammar al-Dwaik said a number of human rights organizations had obtained testimonials from male and female journalists who had been attacked for covering protests in Ramallah in recent days.

“Journalists were deliberately targeted – especially female journalists in the field – for assault, camera theft, or theft of communications equipment,” Al-Dwaik said.

He described the incident as “very serious” and “hindering journalists from carrying out their duties.”

Violence

On Sunday, several journalists cut off their press cards in protest of the union’s protest.

There is no need for God …
The alliance, which will not protect the Palestinian journalist, will not continue. pic.twitter.com/aoUudw4143

– Muath Hamed (@MuathHamed) June 27, 2021

Interpretation: No reason. There is no point in continuing to be part of organizations that do not protect their journalists.

One journalist, Fayhaa Khanfar, was summoned by PA spies for questioning on Monday.

Khanfar was one of the women journalists who were brutally tortured during the Ramallah protests, and told local journalists how security guards in uniform threw stones and empty bottles at journalists, including snatching them or breaking their cameras and phones.

“One of the plainclothes soldiers attacked me as I stood on the side of the road,” he said.

“He tried to grab my phone and yelled at me, and he dragged me down the highway and threw me to the ground.”

Investigations into the death of Banat

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh said Monday that those responsible for Banat’s death would be “held accountable”, according to the WAFA news agency.

According to the autopsy, Banat was beaten on the head, chest, neck, legs and arms, just one hour before his arrest.

Banat registered as a candidate in the Palestinian parliamentary elections, which were held from May until Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas he moved them forever.

Khalil Banat, father of Palestinian activist Nizar Banat, speaking at a press conference at the Dura family home, south of Hebron in the West Bank [Mosab Shawer / AFP]

At a press conference on Monday, the Banat family announced their opposition to the Palestinian inquiry committee.

“The investigative committee set up by the government is unknown, and the allegations of fraud are incorrect,” Banat’s father Khalil said.

“Nizar was killed after being dragged from his bed, and all the gangs that caught him and killed people in the dark should be tried.”