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Written by Giulia Corradetti
On September 22, Israeli soldiers raided Al Jazeera’s bureau in Ramallah in the West Bank, and ordered the Doha-based news network to shut down operations for 45 days. Last May, the Israeli police raided another Al Jaazera’s bureau in East Jerusalem, and seized its equipment in order to stop them from broadcasting. Repression of the media and of journalists have always been characterizing the Israel-Palestine conflict, since the Palestinian uprising in 1987. However, in this last conflict, the situation has worsened. According to the World Press Freedom Index,, Palestine has become the world’s most dangerous country for journalists’ security. Access to information is severely limited, and arrests of reporters and obstructions to their work happen on a daily basis. The Committee to Protect Journalist’s preliminary investigation showed that since the escalation of hostilities last October 7th, more than 100 reporters have been killed in Gaza.
Freedom of press and security of journalists are essential in countering misinformation and preventing censorship, especially within conflict and insecure zones. According to the World Press Freedom Index, press freedom is experiencing a decline. Around the world, journalists are being threatened by political authorities, which don’t support and respect media autonomy, but instead increase pressure on journalists and on the media. Moreover, the risk of physical, psychological and professional harm for journalists is very high, and in most of the globe the legislative and regulatory environment for journalists is very weak, which leaves them exposed to censorship and violence. Overall, the Middle East region is ranked in the Press Freedom Index as the worst region for press freedom, and is followed by Asia-Pacific and Africa.
Israel-Hamas
In Israel, pressure on journalists has increased, and disinformation campaigns and repressive laws have multiplied. Access to Gaza is denied to foreign media and international news, hindering the dissemination of information. Despite the request from organizations to end this ban on independent access to the territory, the area is still restricted to foreign reporters, and only rare and escorted trips are arranged by the Israeli military. The pressure also continues online. Especially in the first few months of the war, various journalists and journalism syndicates reported they had been experiencing cyberattacks and hacking.
In the West Bank, journalists have always been targeted by both the Palestinian Authority and the Israeli occupying forces before the conflict. However, since last 7th October, the pressure has intensified. The UN OHCHR has recently accused the Israeli army of blocking, intimidating and harassing independent reporters in the West Bank, and of helping the spread of misinformation.
Israeli newspapers have also been targeted. The Israeli Minister of Communication proposed in November 2023 to block any commercial relation with Haaretz daily newspaper, as he deemed it was spreading “false propaganda.” The Cabinet did not approve the proposal.
Russia-Ukraine
Another conflict that is increasing the pressure of freedom of press is the one between Russia and Ukraine. Russia’s indiscriminate attacks on the population have killed local and international journalists, and in Russia almost all independent media have been pressured, harassed, and ultimately censored. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) reported that 11 journalists had lost their lives, 35 had been injured, 12 detained, and two missing, as of February 2024.
Journalists in Russia often face serious charges. Alleged spread of fake news and defamation of the country and the Russian armed forces can lead to up to 15 years in prison. The Kremlin has also been imposing sanctions on journalists and forbidding international outlets from entering the country. Several journalists have been detained on the accusation of cooperation with foreign intelligence and international or foreign organizations for activities against the State security.
In addition, since the very beginning of the conflict, Russia has been conducting a disinformation campaign both by restricting access to international news and by spreading their own propaganda. When the conflict first started in 2022, censorship of war news and state control of the media restricted the information available to the citizens. Disinformation was also used as a campaign against Ukraine, which was depicted as the ‘nazi’ enemy to be defeated.
Elections and protests
2024 is the biggest election year so far. More than 100 countries voted or are set to vote. Censorship and media repression plays a significant role during elections, and pose a great threat to the circulation of reliable information. The advent of the digital revolution has brought other forms of communication and dissemination of information, which were followed by other forms of censorship as well. Ahead of elections, episodes of internet censorship, block of VPN services, internet sites and journalists’ YouTube pages can be found in many government policies. In 2024, Turkey, Russia, Venezuela and Pakistan issued or tightened internet censorship, blocking VPN services and web pages, ahead of local elections. Internet and mobile censorship can be used by authorities also as a way to quell protests and limit the circulation of anti-government information. In 2024, internet services have been restricted to stop massive protests worldwide, including in Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Kenya, Senegal.
Conclusion
To protect freedom of expression and freedom of the media, both in the countries involved in the conflict and more widely, journalists often put their lives at stake. In conflict zones, the parties will always try to manipulate information to some degree, either by banning media, spreading misinformation, or by persecuting journalists. However, the right to freedom of expression and information is one of the baseline of democracy, and especially in warzones, the role of the media is fundamental to provide accurate and timely information to the public.
During protests and elections, the repression of the media and the censorship of journalists can lead to misinformation and biased narratives, thereby posing a serious threat to freedom of speech and the right for fair elections, which should be representative of the political will of the population.
Journalists fight everyday against misinformation and media repression. Information can be a very strong tool, and if manipulated can constitute a real threat to democracy and national security. However, despite the existence of principles and international standards, governments are still repressing information and persecuting journalists, especially in war zones. This poses a direct threat to their lives and a less tangible threat to freedom of speech and democracy overall.
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