⭕ *Prisoner advocacy organizations condemn the occupation’s continued targeting of Palestinian human rights groups and warn of escalating persecution of their staff*

 

Ramallah – October 14, 2026 – Prisoner advocacy organizations have condemned the Israeli occupation authorities' continued targeting of Palestinian human rights and civil society organizations—a policy that has persisted for years and intensified since the onset of the genocide. 

 

These actions have included raids on organizational headquarters and the arrest of staff members, in an attempt to use intimidation to silence human rights voices and undermine the work of organizations that document occupation violations and seek to hold those responsible accountable.

 

The organizations emphasized that this escalation follows the arrest of several human rights defenders—and that targeting these individuals is inseparable from targeting the organizations they serve, or from attempts to restrict human rights work and obstruct the transmission of victims' testimonies to the international community.

 

They added that the gravity of these practices extends beyond specific individuals and premises to threaten the very core of human rights work—namely, documenting the truth, protecting victims, and ensuring accountability. 

 

Furthermore, these actions occur at a time when the Palestinian narrative is gaining increasing global prominence, making those who convey this narrative targets for silencing and persecution.

 

The organizations also noted that this escalation follows the imposition of US sanctions on several Palestinian entities, raising serious concerns about mounting pressure on their ability to continue documenting violations, advocating for victims, and pursuing accountability under international law. It called upon international human rights organizations and the United Nations to shoulder their legal and moral responsibilities and take practical steps to protect Palestinian institutions and their staff, warning that the international community's failure—and its reliance on mere condemnation without effective action—exacerbates risks and widens the scope of impunity.

 

It also demanded increased political, legal, and financial support for these institutions, urging that their operations and independence be safeguarded and their personnel protected. It emphasized that supporting them is integral to the commitment to uphold the Palestinian people's right to self-determination, ensure victims' voices are heard, keep the truth documented, and maintain the possibility of accountability.