Al Jazeera ban must be lifted, rights experts urge Palestinian Authority
2025-01-13 12:00
GENEVA (Reuters) – A group of U.N. human rights experts on Tuesday called on the Palestinian Authority to lift a ban on the Qatari-based broadcaster Al Jazeera, saying it violated Palestinians’ right to freedom of opinion and expression.
The ban, imposed in August 2022, came after Al Jazeera aired a documentary critical of the Palestinian Authority, led by President Mahmoud Abbas. The authority accused the broadcaster of bias and spreading false information.
In a statement, the experts said the ban was “a clear violation of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, which is enshrined in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Palestine is a State party.”
They said the ban was also “a form of censorship that undermines the public’s right to access information and to hold their government accountable.”
The experts urged the Palestinian Authority to “immediately lift the ban on Al Jazeera and to ensure that all media outlets are able to operate freely and without fear of reprisal.”
They also called on the authority to “respect the right to freedom of expression and to ensure that all Palestinians are able to express their views without fear of censorship or reprisal.”
The Palestinian Authority has not yet commented on the statement by the U.N. experts.
The ban on Al Jazeera has been widely condemned by human rights groups and international media organizations. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) called the ban “a blatant attack on press freedom” and said it “sends a chilling message to all journalists in the Palestinian territories.”
The International Press Institute (IPI) also condemned the ban, saying it was “a serious blow to media freedom in Palestine.”
The ban has also been criticized by some Palestinian journalists, who say it is part of a wider crackdown on dissent by the Palestinian Authority.
In recent months, the Palestinian Authority has arrested several journalists and closed down a number of media outlets that have been critical of the government.
The Palestinian Authority has defended its actions, saying that they are necessary to maintain stability and security in the Palestinian territories. However, critics say that the authority is using the security pretext to silence its critics and suppress dissent.
Al Jazeera ban must be lifted, rights experts urge Palestinian Authority
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