Amid West Bank protests, journalists ask UN for protection against Palestinian Authority
The death of Palestinian human rights activist Nizar Banat has sparked massive anger in the West Bank
About 50 Palestinian journalists demonstrated in Ramallah on Monday in the name of press freedom in the West Bank and called on the UN to "protect" them following an outbreak of violence during a number of rallies against the Palestinian Authority.
The death of Palestinian human rights activist Nizar Banat while in Palestinian Authority detention last week has sparked anger in the West Bank.
The demonstrations of recent days have been punctuated by clashes between protesters and the police.
Journalists also reported having been assaulted by the police, which has been mobilized en masse.
In view of the violations of journalists' freedom to cover the rallies, a letter was submitted to the United Nations, which called on the international body to take "necessary and immediate measures" to protect local journalists, said Naila Khalil, a Palestinian reporter for the Al-Arabi Al-Jdid newspaper.
Also present in front of the UN premises in Ramallah, Mohammed Gharafi, a journalist for the news site Ultra Palestine, said that he was threatened by Palestinian security forces with having his phone confiscated if he did not stop filming them.
Earlier footage taken by Gharafi shows in particular female journalists being attacked by men in civilian clothes, suspected of belonging to the police.
On Sunday, the Palestinian Journalists Union called for the police chief's dismissal for "failing to protect journalists who have been assaulted and threatened by plainclothes in plain sight of the police."
PA Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh on Monday called for "respect for press freedom" and called on "everyone to exercise a higher sense of responsibility."
Activist Nizar Banat, who died Thursday, was known for his videos posted on social media criticizing the Palestinian Authority of Mahmoud Abbas, whom he accused of corruption.
His family accuses the Palestinian security forces of having "murdered" him.
Shtayyeh on Monday promised that the investigation into his death would be "professional and transparent," adding those responsible "will be brought before the competent authorities."