Israeli prisons: Palestinian journalists cite ‘systematic abuse’: CPJ

NEW YORK: Palestinian journalists held in Israeli prisons from October 2023 to January 2026 have suffered “systematic abuse,” according to a Committee to Protect Journalists report published Thursday.

Of 59 correspondents interviewed, “all but one reported being subjected to what they described as torture, abuse, or other forms of violence,” the New York-based watchdog said in a statement. CPJ director Jodie Ginsberg urged the international community to “take action” over the reports of abuse.

“The scale and consistency of these testimonies point to something far beyond isolated misconduct,” she said.

The CPJ said journalists spoke of beatings, sexual violence, prolonged restraint in painful positions, and exposure to loud music, barking and bomb noises. They also described unsanitary living conditions, medical neglect and food deprivation.

The CPJ said the interviewees lost 23.5 kilograms (52 pounds) on average while in detention. Yousef Sharaf, one of the journalists, testified that abscesses formed on his infected wounds due to beatings and that another detainee, a surgeon, carried out improvised operations due to a lack of proper medical care.