Human rights organizations slammed on Tuesday the Palestinian Authority (PA) preventive security forces for arresting journalist Ayman al-Qawasmi head of the administrative council of a local radio in al-Khalil city and Issa Amer head of Youths against Settlement group in the governorate. They demanded immediate release of both detainees.
Independent Commission for Human Rights said in a press statement on Tuesday that both Palestinians were arrested based on their political opinions and positions. It also pointed to the remarkable increase in arresting citizens merely based on their political backgrounds over the past few months.
The Commission called on the PA not to use provisional detention orders as a punitive method for silencing pressmen.
It also urged the PA to reconsider the current legislation in regards with the freedom of speech such as the Penal Code the Press and Publications Law and the Electronic Crimes Law and to amend them in accordance with the obligations of the State of Palestine in accordance with international conventions.
For its part the international human rights organization Amnesty International condemned in a statement the arrest of the social media activist Issa Amer. The arrest of Amer is a shameful move as he was rounded up just for asking the Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas to resign the statement highlighted.
