Marking World Press Freedom Day, ICHR reiterates the importance freedom of press, as the main pillar of freedom of opinion and expression, which enables citizens to seek information and gives them the opportunity to express their opinions and views in a manner that enhances democracy, equality and human rights. 

Palestinian journalists have faced different patterns of violations and assaults inflicted by the Israeli occupation forces, in a bid to prevent them from covering and documenting the crimes it commits against Palestinian civilians. The deteriorating situation of freedom of press in the Palestinian Territory has also aggravated due to the internal political division between the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. It has been aggravated due to the impunity of perpetrators of violations of freedom of opinion and expression. 

ICHR has documented over the last four months tens of typical violations of freedom of press, especially those which coincided with youths actions aimed at ending the political division between the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. These violations include beating and insulting journalists, confiscating cameras and recording tapes, detention and questioning and raiding media institutions by the security agencies.  
In this context, ICHR recalls the legal guarantees under international conventions and agreements which guarantee journalists’ rights to practice their career freely, without restrictions in accordance with the law. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights  and the UN Covenant on Civil and Political Rights proclaim that “Everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers”. According to article (19) of the Palestinian Amended Basic Law of 2003, “Every person shall have the right to express his opinion and to circulate it orally, in writing or in any form of expression or art, with due consideration to the provisions of the law”. The Printing and Publications law also prohibits the executive authority from taking any measures against journalists, writers and press except through litigation.

Reiterating the necessity of protecting the freedom of press, ICHR calls on this occasion, for:

1. Ending Israeli occupation practices against the Palestinian journalists and enabling them to do their work without restrictions
2. Stopping all assaults on journalists and media institutions and enhancing press freedom in the Palestinian Territory
3. Protecting journalists and holding perpetrators of violations against the freedom of opinion and expression accountable