(NEW YORK) – A Palestinian writer who has faced nearly a decade of legal harassment from the Palestinian Authority will be in court yet again on Thursday on defamation and unlawful assembly charges. The legal persecution of Jihad Abdo must end immediately, PEN America said today.
Abdo has been subjected to repeated harassment by the Palestinian Authority, including multiple arrests, interrogations, prosecutions, and surveillance between 2017 and 2021. According to his lawyer, the Ramallah-based writer and activist is currently facing two ongoing legal cases for online criticism of Palestinian Authority officials and “unlawful assembly.”
“Writers and human rights defenders like Abdo are essential to the future of Palestine, and must be protected, not targeted with baseless charges,” said Liesl Gerntholtz, Managing Director of the PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Center. “The Palestinian Authority must drop all retaliatory charges against him and ensure writers can work freely and safely.”
Abdo’s writing includes criticism of corruption, nepotism, and monopolistic practices by the Palestinian Authority, which has partial control over the Israeli-occupied West Bank in Palestine. He has also led peaceful protests advocating for freedom of expression, consumer rights, and political accountability.
“Writers and activists in the West Bank are already facing dire threats from the Israeli government as it seeks to silence criticism of the war in Gaza and its occupation of the West Bank,” said Gerntholtz. “The Palestinian Authority should be seeking to uplift and defend people standing for free speech and human rights, not silencing them.”
In July 2020, Abdo was detained for ten days after calling for protests against corruption and discriminatory public-sector appointments. During his detention, he went on hunger strike in protest of his arrest, following which he suffered a heart attack that resulted in lasting health complications. Since then, his lawyer has advised PEN America that he has continued to face legal harassment, both from the Palestinian Authority and private sector.
Abdo’s case reflects a broader pattern of repression against Palestinian writers from both the government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority. According to PEN America’s 2024 Freedom to Write Index, Israel ranked fifth among the world’s top jailers of writers—particularly writers from the West Bank held in administrative detention—compounding the suppression of Palestinian voices.
Read more about PEN America’s 2024 Freedom to Write Index here.
About PEN America
PEN America stands at the intersection of literature and human rights to protect free expression in the United States and worldwide. We champion the freedom to write, recognizing the power of the word to transform the world. Our mission is to unite writers and their allies to celebrate creative expression and defend the liberties that make it possible. Learn more at pen.org.