122 Violations Against Palestinian Journalists Recorded in February 2026, Most Notably in Jerusalem

Ramallah – The Freedoms Committee of the Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate documented 122 violations, assaults, and crimes against Palestinian journalists and media institutions during February 2026, amid the continued policies of restriction and direct targeting of journalistic work, particularly during field coverage in the West Bank and the city of Jerusalem.

Monitoring and documentation data issued by the Committee showed that Israeli occupation forces continued their systematic targeting of media crews by preventing field coverage, firing live ammunition as well as tear gas and sound grenades toward them, in addition to arrests, summonses, and various punitive measures, in an attempt to obstruct the transmission of the truth and restrict media work.

According to the report, preventing coverage and detaining press crews topped the list of violations, with 52 cases recorded in which journalists were prevented from carrying out their work or were detained while performing their duties in various locations, particularly during military raids or while covering settler attacks.

The Committee also documented 17 cases of arbitrary bans imposed on journalists from covering events in the courtyards and surroundings of Al-Aqsa Mosque, as part of a policy aimed at limiting media coverage of events in Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque, especially in the period preceding the start of the holy month of Ramadan.

The report further recorded 8 cases of firing tear gas and sound grenades toward journalists, in addition to 6 cases of direct gunfire aimed at press crews during field coverage, posing a direct threat to journalists’ lives and safety.

Regarding arrests, the Freedoms Committee documented 7 cases of journalists being arrested, along with 6 court appearances and 6 cases of summons and interrogation, which the Committee described as the use of arbitrary legal procedures as a tool to pressure journalists and restrict their work.

The violations also included 5 raids on the homes of journalists and media institutions, as well as 5 cases of blocking online news websites, in a step aimed at limiting the spread of Palestinian media content.

In addition, the report recorded 4 cases of destruction and confiscation of journalistic equipment, 3 cases of physical assault on journalists while performing their work, 2 cases of financial fines imposed on journalists, and one case of a journalist being banned from travel.

The Freedoms Committee at the Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate affirmed that these figures reflect a dangerous escalation in the pace of violations against Palestinian journalists, noting that targeting journalists constitutes a clear violation of international humanitarian law and international conventions that guarantee freedom of journalistic work and the protection of journalists while performing their duties.

The Committee called on international institutions concerned with press freedom and human rights to urgently intervene to provide protection for Palestinian journalists and to pressure the occupation authorities to halt the ongoing violations against them, ensuring that they are able to perform their work freely and safely.

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Ukiukaji Mara 122 Dhidi ya Waandishi wa Habari wa Kipalestina Warekodiwa Februari 2026, Wengi Wakitokea Jerusalem

Ramallah – Kamati ya Uhuru ya Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate imerekodi ukiukaji, mashambulizi na uhalifu mara 122 dhidi ya waandishi wa habari wa Kipalestina na taasisi za vyombo vya habari katika mwezi wa Februari 2026, huku kukiendelea sera za vikwazo na ulengaji wa moja kwa moja dhidi ya kazi za uandishi wa habari, hasa wakati wa ufuatiliaji wa matukio uwanjani katika maeneo ya West Bank na katika mji wa Jerusalem.

Takwimu za ufuatiliaji na nyaraka zilizotolewa na Kamati hiyo zinaonyesha kuwa majeshi ya uvamizi ya Israeli yaliendelea kulenga kwa mfumo maalum vikosi vya waandishi wa habari kwa kuwazuia kufanya ufuatiliaji wa matukio uwanjani, kwa kufyatua risasi za moto pamoja na mabomu ya machozi na mabomu ya sauti wakiwalenga, pamoja na kuwakamata, kuwaita kwa ajili ya mahojiano na kuchukua hatua mbalimbali za adhabu, kwa lengo la kuzuia kusambazwa kwa ukweli na kubana kazi ya vyombo vya habari.

Kwa mujibu wa ripoti hiyo, kuzuia ufuatiliaji wa matukio na kuwashikilia waandishi wa habari kuliongoza orodha ya ukiukaji, ambapo matukio 52 yalirekodiwa ya waandishi wa habari kuzuiwa kufanya kazi zao au kushikiliwa walipokuwa wakitekeleza majukumu yao katika maeneo mbalimbali, hasa wakati wa uvamizi wa kijeshi au walipokuwa wakiripoti mashambulizi ya walowezi.

Kamati hiyo pia ilirekodi matukio 17 ya marufuku ya kiholela yaliyowekwa kwa waandishi wa habari kuwazuia kuripoti matukio katika viwanja na maeneo yanayozunguka Al-Aqsa Mosque, ikiwa ni sehemu ya sera inayolenga kupunguza ufuatiliaji wa vyombo vya habari kuhusu matukio yanayotokea Jerusalem na katika Msikiti wa Al-Aqsa, hasa katika kipindi kilichotangulia kuanza kwa mwezi mtukufu wa Ramadan.

Ripoti hiyo pia ilirekodi matukio 8 ya kufyatuliwa kwa mabomu ya machozi na mabomu ya sauti kuelekea waandishi wa habari, pamoja na matukio 6 ya kufyatuliwa kwa risasi za moja kwa moja kuvilenga vikosi vya waandishi wa habari wakati wa ufuatiliaji wa matukio uwanjani, hali iliyoweka maisha na usalama wa waandishi wa habari katika hatari ya moja kwa moja.

Kuhusu kukamatwa, Kamati ya Uhuru ilirekodi matukio 7 ya waandishi wa habari kukamatwa, pamoja na kesi 6 za kufikishwa mahakamani na matukio 6 ya kuitwa kwa ajili ya mahojiano na uchunguzi, hali ambayo Kamati iliielezea kuwa ni matumizi ya taratibu za kisheria za kiholela kama chombo cha kuwashinikiza waandishi wa habari na kuzuia kazi zao.

Ukiukaji huo pia ulijumuisha vamizi 5 katika nyumba za waandishi wa habari na taasisi za vyombo vya habari, pamoja na matukio 5 ya kufungiwa tovuti za habari mtandaoni, hatua inayolenga kupunguza usambazaji wa maudhui ya vyombo vya habari vya Kipalestina.

Aidha, ripoti hiyo ilirekodi matukio 4 ya uharibifu na kunyang’anywa vifaa vya uandishi wa habari, matukio 3 ya kushambuliwa kimwili kwa waandishi wa habari walipokuwa wakitekeleza kazi zao, matukio 2 ya kutozwa faini za kifedha kwa waandishi wa habari, na tukio moja la mwandishi wa habari kupigwa marufuku kusafiri.

Kamati ya Uhuru ya Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate imesisitiza kuwa takwimu hizi zinaakisi ongezeko hatari la kasi ya ukiukaji dhidi ya waandishi wa habari wa Kipalestina, ikibainisha kuwa kulengwa kwa waandishi wa habari ni ukiukaji wa wazi wa sheria za kimataifa za kibinadamu pamoja na mikataba ya kimataifa inayohakikisha uhuru wa kazi ya uandishi wa habari na ulinzi wa waandishi wa habari wanapotekeleza majukumu yao.

Kamati hiyo pia imetoa wito kwa taasisi za kimataifa zinazohusika na uhuru wa vyombo vya habari na haki za binadamu kuingilia kati haraka ili kutoa ulinzi kwa waandishi wa habari wa Kipalestina na kuweka shinikizo kwa mamlaka za uvamizi kusitisha ukiukaji unaoendelea dhidi yao, na kuhakikisha wanaweza kufanya kazi zao kwa uhuru na usalama.

https://pjs.ps/en/page-3532.html