During the month of May 2023, the Israeli forces and settlers intensified their violations against Palestinian journalists and photographers. In total, they attacked twenty media professionals, while the Palestinian security targeted two. In addition, there were detentions in Syria and ongoing summonses and arrests in Lebanon. In Jordan, journalists were prevented from covering a parliamentary session.

The following is a detailed summary of the violations monitored by the Samir Kassir Foundation’s SKeyes Center in all four countries:

In Lebanon, journalist Nemr Jabr was attacked by fans of the Sagesse basketball club in Ghazir on May 5. On May 24, the Information Branch of the Internal Security Forces (ISF) arrested Egyptian opposition journalist Abdul-Rahman Ahmad “Mokka” for several hours in Beirut. Moreover, journalist Hayat Mirshad was summoned by the ISF’s Anti-Cybercrime and Intellectual Property Bureau on May 18 due to a slander and defamation complaint filed against her by theatre director Joe Kodeih.

The Beirut Court of Appeal issued a verdict on May 12 regarding the appeal against the decision of the Beirut Bar Association to amend the Code of Conduct and Ethics. The court approved the decision, which restricts lawyers’ freedoms in terms of media appearances. As a result, the two appeals filed by 13 lawyers were rejected (05/12).

In Syria, a human right activist named Jadih Nawfal was beatean by an unknown person in Suwayda on May 3. Additionally, citizen journalist Muhannad Hassan was arrested by regime forces on May 4 after he criticised the electricity directorate in Lattakia. On May 3, journalist the Syrian judiciary filed a lawsuit against Roger Asfar (winner of the 2019 Samir Kassir Award for Freedom of the Press) for exposing a harassment case. The General Security service of the so-called “Salvation Governement” arrested citizen journalist Ali Alulu in Idlib on May 10 after he filmed protests against the Tahrir Al-Sham group (05/10). Furthermore, the Syrian opposition police arrested Hamed Al-Ali, a correspondent for Alkul TV channel and radio station, twice in the Aleppo countryside on May 29 in relation to a publication.    

In Jordan, Lower House Speaker Ahmad Safadi prevented media outlets from attending a session about the latest developments in the case of MP Imad Al-Adwan on May 7. MP Al-Adwan was arrested by Israeli authorities at the Jordanian-Palestinian border for smuggling gold and weapons “to support the Palestinian resistance.” He was released two weeks later and arrived in Jordan the same day. Media representatives who wanted to cover the parliamentary session left the parliament after Mr. Safadi informed them that they could not attend the proceedings.

In the West Bank, there were multiple incidents involving Israeli forces and violations against journalists. On May 9, the Israeli forces fired live bullets at several media crew members, including correspondent Hafez Sabra and cameraman Mahmoud Fawzi from the Roya channel, photographer Nasser Ashtieh from the SIPA USA agency, photographer Majdi Ashtieh from the Associated Press, photographer Ashraf Abu Shawish from the J-Media agency, and correspondent Abdullah Bahesh from the Quds network. On May 16, teargas was sprayed at Abdullah Bahesh and RT cameraman Abdul-Rahman Mohammad. In addition, the Israeli forces detained Mashhour Hassan Al-Wahwah, a correspondent for the Wafa news agency, and his accompanying driver for an hour on May 6. Freelance journalist Mohammad Abu Thabet was violently beaten and detained for half an hour on May 24. The Palestine TV crew, consisting of reporter Omar Ahmad Abu Awad and cameraman Mohammad Jawad Raghab, as well as the Wafa photographer Sleiman Abu Srour and freelance journalist Adel Abu Nehme, were targeted by an attempt to run them over before being arrested on May 25. Moreover, settlers attempted to hit the car of Al-Jazeera English correspondent Nida’ Ibrahim to prevent her from covering the events on May 27. An Israeli tribunal also confirmed the four-month administrative detention of journalist Mohammad Badr on May 21.

In addition to the violations by Israeli forces, members of the Palestinian security attacked AFP photographers Jaafar Ashtieh and his son Zein at the Rafidia hospital in Nablus on May 21.

In Gaza, journalist and freelance writer Youssef Fares’s apartment was severely damaged in the shelling of the strip on May 10. Furthermore, the song “My blood is Palestinian” by artist Mohammad Assaf was deleted from Apple Music and Spotify platforms on May 21, for alleged incitement.

In the 1948 Territories, settlers attacked Tawasol Network correspondent Yahya Abu Zened and Al-Jarmaq news agency correspondent Kareen Al-Bash with stones during the coverage of the settlers’ march in Jerusalem’s Bab Al-Amud on May 18. The Israeli police also hindered the work of freelance photographer Ibrahim Sinjlawi on the same day. The next day, Mr. Abu Zened was prevented from carrying out his job at the Lions’ Gate. Additionally, the Israeli central court extended the detention of Ramzi Abbassi, correspondent for Al-Bosala and Al-Sahira, three times on charges of incitement, respectively on May 5, 10, and 29.

This report was published with the support of the United Nations Democracy Fund.