Israel holding 37 Palestinian journalists in detention

The Palestinian Prisoner Society reports that Israel is currently holding 37 Palestinian journalists in its prisons. According to the organization, these individuals have been detained due to their journalistic work, expressions of opinion, or through the use of administrative detention, which allows for long-term imprisonment without formal charges or trials.

Of the 37 journalists, 19 are from the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and are being held without charge. Recent arrests include Muath Ammarna and Sabri Jibrin following raids on their homes in Bethlehem. Ammarna has reportedly been detained multiple times for his professional activities.

Other notable cases include journalist and writer Mahmoud Fatafta, who received a four-year prison sentence for what Israeli authorities described as ‘incitement’. The organization noted that such charges are increasingly used to prosecute media workers. Additionally, 33-year-old journalist Bushra al-Tawil was recently moved from Damon prison to solitary confinement in Ramla prison.

The Palestinian Prisoner Society claims that detained journalists face harsh conditions similar to other Palestinian prisoners, including isolation, food shortages, inadequate medical care, and poor hygiene.