Prominent Palestinian activist arrested by PA for protesting high fuel prices, corruption
His arrest is seen by many Palestinians as a continuation of the PA leadership's campaign to silence and intimidate critics and political opponents.
Suhaib Zahda, a well-known Palestinian activist based in Hebron, has been apprehended and questioned by Palestinian Authority security personnel following a request to stage a protest concerning escalating fuel prices, wage reductions, and corruption. The Lawyers for Justice group reported that Zahda's arrest by the preventive security service, a component of the PA security apparatus, transpired as he approached the Hebron Governorate in pursuit of authorization to orchestrate a peaceful demonstration.
The group contended that Zahda's imprisonment underscores limitations on freedom of speech and the right to protest, alleging that the Palestinian authorities are targeting activists for openly expressing dissent. Zahda's purpose to orchestrate a protest emerges amidst a fuel crisis spanning the West Bank. In the past weeks, fuel stations in Palestinian cities witnessed lengthy queues as residents endeavored to procure fuel due to apprehension over potential shortages and soaring prices.
Palestinian human rights advocates have called for Zahda's immediate release, with many perceiving his arrest as part of the PA leadership's endeavor to silence and intimidate critics and political adversaries. Zahda's detention is viewed as a political arrest and rejected by those who denounce the PA's crackdown on activists and journalists for articulating their opinions.
Over the previous decade, political activists have allegedly been detained, apprehended, summoned, and sometimes interrogated for disseminating social media posts that diverge from the PA's stance or criticize its alleged corruption. The demise of activist Nizar Banat, who opposed the PA and was pronounced dead shortly after a raid on his residence in Dura, south of Hebron, in 2021, serves as a high-profile case.
Zahda, a colleague of Banat, contributed significantly to the labor protest movement in 2018 against the proposed social security law, which critics contended neglected to safeguard Palestinian employees' assets or pension security. At the time, Zahda announced that the movement amassed 100,000 signatures to compel the Palestinian government to annul the law.
Zahda had previously undergone interrogations and detention by both Palestinian and Israeli authorities. His arrest raises concerns regarding Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas's commitment to conducting free and fair parliamentary and presidential elections.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
