11 stories for 2026-02-23 · Political repression, arbitrary detention & extrajudicial violence
The head of Israel's Prison Service invited settlers on a tour of a facility holding Palestinian prisoners, where the service provided lunch to the visitors. Palestinian prisoner rights groups have raised alarms about ongoing starvation conditions among detainees, particularly during Ramadan. The tour has drawn criticism from rights advocates monitoring conditions in Israeli detention facilities.
Israeli forces have detained more than 100 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank since the beginning of Ramadan, according to a report. The intensified arrest campaign coincides with Israeli authorities banning the display of religious decorations for the Islamic holy month in Jerusalem. The detentions represent an escalation in military operations in Palestinian territories during this period.
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry stated the Palestinian Authority is prepared to assume control of government and security in Gaza with Arab and international backing. The ministry called for international intervention to halt violations in Gaza and the West Bank.
According to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, Britain is pursuing legal action against an alliance described as Palestinian. The report indicates prosecution proceedings have been initiated, though specific charges, defendants, and details of the alleged violations remain unclear from the available excerpt.
According to Asharq Al-Awsat, Israeli officers are alleged to have engaged in torture practices against Palestinian detainees. The report indicates that abusive practices against Palestinians have become normalized among Israeli personnel and are increasingly reflected in internal Israeli military relations, following a pattern described as "the strong eating the weak."
Syrian authorities have documented 1,830 corruption cases as part of ongoing anti-corruption efforts. The government has launched a new platform aimed at promoting transparency and accountability. The initiative represents an attempt to address systemic corruption issues within Syrian institutions.
Salma Murshaq, a Syrian woman, has died after five years of seeking answers about the killing of her son, Qusaman Salim. Throughout this period, she reportedly faced persistent grief and trauma related to his death, with no apparent resolution or accountability. Her death marks the end of a prolonged search for justice and information regarding the circumstances of her son's killing.
The Syrian Network for Human Rights documented the deaths of at least 21 detainees in a prison facility controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Ain al-Arab (Kobani), east of Aleppo, between January 19–22, 2026. The killings were recorded through field documentation by the human rights organization during the specified period.
Egypt's Public Prosecution has released four supporters of Al-Ahly club who were being held in preventive detention. The release follows what appears to be a legal challenge to their continued incarceration. Details regarding the reasons for their initial arrest and detention remain unclear from available reporting.
A Lebanese judicial source reported that the court has expedited cases of Islamist detainees, pushing their files toward hearings before both investigative judges and the permanent military court. The acceleration of these proceedings marks a shift in the handling of cases involving detained individuals with alleged Islamist affiliations in Lebanon's judicial system.
Tunisia's Court of Appeals ordered the release of prominent lawyer Ahmad Souwab, according to his family. Souwab had been sentenced to five years in prison and was a critic of President Kais Saied. Meanwhile, Ennahda party leader Rached Ghannouchi, currently imprisoned, issued a message from prison calling for democracy and the rule of law in Tunisia.