RAMALLAH, February 1, 2012 (WAFA) - The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate (PJS) Wednesday called on the Palestinian Authority to respect freedom of the press and to stop harassing journalists for expressing their views, according to a statement.

It denounced the arrest of two journalists in Ramallah on Tuesday without any legal proceedings over what they wrote on their Facebook page. The two were released hours later.

In a press release, the syndicate considered the freedom of expression and speech a basic right for all journalists mandated in the Palestinian Basic Law, stressing that it will exert all efforts to ensure the protection of these rights.

T.R./M.S.