The Head of the Commission of Detainees' Affairs, Qadri Abu Baker, stated that the occupation authorities targeted Palestinian journalists over the past few years. We monitored hundreds of violations against them, such as detention, arbitrary arrests, administrative detention, unfair sentences, attacks and incursions, closing media institutions, confiscating equipment and devices, chasing and summoning journalists and preventing them from travelling.

Abu Baker explained that the targeting also included activist on social media, who expressed their opinion, in order to suppress, threaten and prevent them from writing.

He also called on the international conference on World Press Freedom Day 2021, hosted by the UNESCO and the government of Namibia, held in Windhoek April 29- May 3, to get clear recommendations that protect Palestinian journalists, and intervene to release 16 detainees who are still detained in Israeli prisons.

Abu Baker added: "I call on all the international unions specialized in journalism and press to support their colleagues detained in Israeli prisons, and provide protection for everyone who work in this field in the Palestinian lands form the suppressive and unfair measures of the occupation".

Abu Baker saluted and sent his greetings and respects to all Palestinian journalists and media professionals for their   endurance on the hardships of the profession and the hatred of the occupation. He also praised and appreciated their national role in supporting the detainees' cause and exposing the violations they are subjected to.

The General Assembly of the United Nations announced the World Press Freedom Day for the first time on December 1993, based on a recommendation by the general conference of the UNESCO, and since then, the anniversary of the declaration has been celebrated around the world on May 3 as World Press Freedom Day.

The date of the World Press Freedom Day refers to the conference held by the UNESCO in Windhoek city in 1991.

May 3 is considered a reminder for governments to respect and fulfill its commitments towards the press freedom, and it is also a day for journalists and media professionals to discuss the issues of press freedom and profession ethics.