ICSPR Strongly Condemns the Killing of Journalist Shatha Al-Sabbagh and Calls for a Serious Investigation with Results Announced Publicly
Date: December 29, 2024
Press Release
ICSPR Strongly Condemns the Killing of Journalist Shatha Al-Sabbagh and Calls for a Serious Investigation with Results Announced Publicly
The International Commission to Support Palestinian Rights (ICSPR) strongly condemns the killing of journalist Shatha Al-Sabbagh and calls for an urgent investigation into the incident and all other killings that have occurred in Jenin refugee camp, with the results made public.
According to ICSPR’s follow-up, a Palestinian medical source announced this morning, Sunday, December 29, 2024, the death of journalist Shatha Al-Sabbagh from Jenin refugee camp in the northern West Bank. She was fatally shot in the head on Mahyoub Street in the camp.
The family of journalist Shatha has held the security forces responsible for her death, while a spokesperson for the security services denied the accusation.
It is noteworthy that Jenin refugee camp continues to experience a large-scale security campaign launched by Palestinian security forces under the slogan “Protecting the Homeland” since December 5. The campaign, ongoing to this day, has included collective punishments against the camp, such as imposing a blockade, cutting off electricity and water, and intensifying security reinforcements in Jenin city and its camp. This campaign has been accompanied by incitement media campaigns, as well as clashes, shootings, and a series of unfortunate incidents and violations that have caused destruction to several homes and resulted in the deaths of 11 people, including six civilians and five members of the security forces.
Several citizens have been subjected to arbitrary arrests, with some facing abuse, torture, and humiliation at the hands of security personnel, as evidenced by numerous videos circulating on social media.
ICSPR mourns the victims of these events and stands in solidarity with their plight. The organization closely monitors the grave and ongoing violations and incidents in Jenin and its camp. ICSPR views the high number of casualties as a significant loss that threatens social cohesion and civil peace, which could have been avoided had national, local, and community initiatives aimed at halting the deterioration and preventing internal conflict been heeded. ICSPR calls on Palestinian political leadership and all political and societal forces to take national responsibility for the current situation, which poses a serious threat of escalation, widening the crisis, and spiraling out of control.
ICSPR records and demands the following:
- ICSPR calls on the Public Prosecution to open an investigation into the killing of journalist Shatha and all other killings, assaults, and abuses against detainees, and to announce the results publicly, ensuring that perpetrators are held accountable under the law.
- ICSPR urges the security services and all law enforcement agencies to strictly adhere to Palestinian law, the rules governing the use of force and weapons, and ethical and legal principles while performing their duties to preserve the rule of law and safeguard civil peace.
- ICSPR calls for an end to the bloodshed and the cessation of security incidents in Jenin through serious and responsible national dialogue to address the current situation, contain the events, and prevent further escalation. This includes ending the security campaign, lifting the blockade on the camp, withdrawing armed manifestations from all parties, and immediately releasing all political detainees and those held for their opinions.
- ICSPR stresses the importance of safeguarding freedoms and ending hate speech and incitement, which exacerbate tensions and divisions that only serve the interests of the Israeli occupation, which continues its crimes in the West Bank and Jerusalem, as well as its genocidal war in the Gaza Strip.
End.
