Arab Organisation for Human Rights in the UK (AOHR UK) condemned the Palestinian Authorities’ (PA) arrest of journalist Tariq Youssef Al-Sarkji, as it violated his rights instead of protecting his rights and the rights of all Palestinians, particularly those living under the occupation.
The PA security services are fully responsible for the life and safety of journalist Tariq Al-Sarkaji, who was not even allowed to change his clothes before being taken to interrogation as he was told.
The PA has arrested more than 700 journalists, students, and political activists since the beginning of this year, many of whom complained of torture. The torture allegations were all documented in the prosecution and court records, however the PA denies making any political arrest.
All security prosecutions of Palestinian journalists and all human rights violations they are subjected to must end immediately. This includes failure to implement court release orders, ill-treatment of detainees, and obstructing the work of lawyers.
The PA’s arbitrary practices such as the obstruction of political and legislative life, restricting public freedoms, targeting journalists who report cases rejecting the occupation and its crimes, and the security coordination with the Israeli occupation forces to harass the Palestinians must be brought to an end.
The political arrests in the West Bank are increasing significantly in parallel with the increasing resistance against the occupation in the northern West Bank.
Such measures by the PA could only be interpreted as taking part in the Israeli occupation’s crimes against the Palestinian people, who practice their inalienable right guaranteed by international conventions.
AOHR UK called on countries funding the Palestinian Authority to pressure it to stop its human rights violations against the Palestinians, to immediately and unconditionally release all political detainees and journalists, and to hold accountable those involved in their crimes of torture.
