The Palestinian Digital Rights Coalition Condemns Violations of Digital Rights and Press Freedom in Palestine

The Palestinian Digital Rights Coalition (PDRC) expresses its shock and deep concern over the alarming escalation of restrictions on freedom of opinion and expression, the right to access, share, and disseminate information, and press freedom. These developments follow recent actions by the Palestinian Authority (PA), which constitute severe violations of fundamental rights enshrined in the amended Palestinian Basic Law and the international human rights agreements to which Palestine is a party.

On January 1, 2025, the PA issued a directive to suspend and freeze all operations of Al Jazeera, citing alleged legal violations. This was followed by a court ruling on January 5, prohibiting local service providers in the occupied West Bank from broadcasting Al Jazeera. Additionally, the Attorney General ordered the blocking of several websites affiliated with the Al Jazeera network. These measures represent a grave attack on press freedom, depriving Palestinian families of access to vital information and obstructing the media’s critical role in documenting events on the ground, particularly amid the ongoing crime of genocide in Gaza and intensified Israeli aggression in the West Bank.

This concern is compounded by administrative orders issued by the governors of Hebron and Nablus on December 29, 2024, regarding "incitement on social media platforms." These orders allow individuals to be prosecuted based on vague terms such as "Inciting discord," "disturbing public order," or "undermine public security." Such loosely defined terminology enables any form of public criticism or expression to be easily classified as "incitement," resulting in legal repercussions and posing a significant threat to freedom of expression.

Moreover, reports and videos circulating on social media highlight the systematic harassment and intimidation of numerous Palestinians due to their online activities. Forcing individuals to produce "apology videos" under duress and implementing coercive measures to silence dissent constitute blatant violations of human rights, individual dignity, and personal security.

The PDRC calls on the Palestinian Authority to immediately reverse these decisions, lift all bans on media outlets, and cease the intimidation of individuals for exercising their right to free expression. We urge the PA to align its practices with its international obligations and reaffirm its commitment to protecting digital rights and press freedom, as guaranteed under the Palestinian Basic Law.

In the face of escalating digital repression, we emphasize the importance of safeguarding the rights of Palestinians to access information, freely express their opinions without fear of repression or intimidation, and hold accountable those responsible for perpetuating these violations.

Freedom of opinion and expression, the right to access information, and press freedom are foundational pillars of any just and equitable society. We stand firmly with journalists, activists, and all Palestinians in their pursuit of these rights and call for immediate action to protect them. Furthermore, we stress the necessity of safeguarding and defending the Palestinian people amidst ongoing international crimes committed against our community in Gaza and other areas of the West Bank.