The Independent Commission for Human Rights - ICHR
81
opinion and expression; (3) freedom of the press; and (4) prevention of human rights defenders from
discharging their functions.
In the West Bank, reports involved violations of freedom of access to social media platforms (8);
abuses of freedom of the press (35); harassment against the background of freedom of opinion and
expression (23); and prevention of human rights defenders from discharging their functions (3).
In the Gaza Strip, patterns included one violation of freedom of access to social media platforms,
one abuse of freedom of the press, and 18 incidents of harassment against the background of freedom of opinion and expression.
Chart 23: Patterns of complaints on freedom of opinion and expression
40
35
35
30
25
23
20
18
15
10
5
0
8
1
3
1
Freedom of access to
social media platforms
Freedom of the press
0
Harassment against the
Prevention of human
background of freedom of rights defenders from
opinion and expression discharging their functions
2.1.4.5 Categories of victims by complaint
In the West Bank, categories of victims included 47 complaints filed by male and nine by
female citizens. Of all complaints, 38 were lodged by ordinary citizens, including 36 by
2.1.4.5
Categories
of victims
complaint
males
and two by
females. by
Sixteen
(16) complaints were made by journalists, including
nine
by
male
journalists
and
seven
by
female 47
journalists.
Also,
two
were by
filed
In the West Bank, categories of victims included
complaints
filed
bycomplaints
male and nine
female
by males
grounds of38their
as human
rights citizens,
defenders.
citizens.
Of all on
complaints,
werework
lodged
by ordinary
including 36 by males and two by
females. Sixteen (16) complaints were made by journalists, including nine by male journalists and
In the Gaza Strip, the ICHR received 10 complaints from ordinary citizens, including eight
seven by female journalists. Also, two complaints were filed by males on grounds of their work as
males and two by females. While one complaint was filed by a male journalist, three
humanbyrights
defenders.
were made by male university students.
In the Gaza Strip, the ICHR received 10 complaints from ordinary citizens, including eight by males
and two by females. While one complaint was filed by a male journalist, three were made by male
university students.
Statement by A. K., a university student in Gaza
My name is A. K. I am a 21-year-old resident of the Az-Zaytoun neighbourhood, Gaza. I am an
activist and third-year English literature student at the Al-Azar University. At about 8:30 am on
21 September 2021, while entering the university gate (northern gate of the eastern campus), I
was putting on the Palestinian Keffiyeh. A University Police officer in dark blue uniform stopped
Twenty
Seventh Annual
me. Nicknamed A. A., he was the Director of the University Police unit.
He demanded
that IReport
put 2021
off the Keffiyeh because it was forbidden to wear it on campus. “Is that is a charge?” I asked.
Meantime, some 10 officers gathered around and started to be beat me with their fists and batons.