Palestinians up in arms over PA and Facebook censorship

RAMALLAH, West Bank — The Magistrate Court in Ramallah on Oct. 24 reaffirmed its Oct. 17 decision to block 59 websites and social media pages in the West Bank and Gaza based on Article 39 of a 2018 cybercrime law. According to the statute, authorities can seek a court's permission to request that internet service providers block websites that allegedly threaten national security. UltraPalestine, one of the sites blocked as per the decision, had filed an appeal through a lawyer from the Independent Commission for Human Rights, arguing that the decision violates the Basic Law guaranteeing freedom of expression and the media.

The court said that its original decision had been made at the request of Attorney General Akram al-Khatib, who claimed that the sites undermine Palestinian Authority (PA) symbols and in doing so threaten the peace and national security. The court said its decision, made without a trial, will remain in force while the constitutionality of Article 39 of the cybercrime law is assessed.

The Magistrate Court had held a hearing on Oct. 23 to consider the request to revoke the decision, at which time the defense counsel questioned the constitutionality of Article 39, which the cybercrime law holds cannot be appealed. The judge announced the next day that he would refer the article to the Constitutional Court and in the meantime would allow the 59 sites to continue to be blocked.

Most of the websites and social media pages are Palestinian and Arab news sites with Palestinian content, some of it affiliated with Hamas and with Mohammad Dahlan, the dismissed senior Fatah leader and archrival and critic of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. The court’s decision sparked a wave of harsh criticism from journalists and international organizations defending media platforms, which considered the decision a blow to the principle of freedom of the press.