Ramallah – 3.16.2015: March 2014 witnessed a huge rise in the number of violations monitored against journalists and media freedoms in Palestine, in terms of their number and danger compared to January and February.
The Palestinian center for development and media freedoms (MADA) monitored 35 media freedoms violations in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, which is double the violations monitored in February (19 violations). Two violations monitored in March were committed against groups of journalists; one was when about 20 Palestinian journalists were prevented by the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) from entering the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron, the other was committed against at least 40 Palestinian journalists who were prevented from covering the popular march in the village of Nabi Saleh in Ramallah governorate by the IOF.
MADA monitored 23 violations committed by IOF, and 12 violations committed by Palestinian sides in the West Bank and Gaza Strip
Arrests and physical assaults were the most type of media freedoms violations monitored in March, where a total of 7 cases of arrests targeting journalists and media students were monitored, in addition to the insertion of journalist Alaa al-Titi into administrative detention. There were 17 cases of physical assaults monitored in March, and the IOF committed 15 of them.
The Israeli Violations:
The Israeli Occupation committed the majority of media freedoms violations, where a total of 23 violations were monitored by MADA, the equivalent of about 66% of the total violation committed in March.
The IOF arrested a media student at the Institute of Modern Media and a reporter at Bethlehem news network Islam Salem on 16th of March, after a raid on his home in the Shawawrah village in Bethlehem Governorate. (He is still detained). The IOF also arrested a show presenter at “Alraba’a” radio in Hebron journalist Ali Oweiwi on 29th March, after they raided and searched his house and confiscated some of his personal equipment. And on 23rd March, Al Aqsa TV correspondent Alaa al-Titi, who has been detained by the IOF since 22nd January 2014, was sentenced 4 months administrative detention.
On the 3rd of March the Israeli army prevented a group of about 20 Palestinian journalists from entering the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron, where they were on a tour to cover the suffering of the inhabitants of ancient Hebron from attacks, and were only allowed to enter only if they give up the cameras
On the 5th March the Israeli occupation soldiers prevented Al Jazeera TV crew from covering an attack by Israeli settlers on the Maghyeer village in Ramallah governorate, and they confiscated the camera's memory and deleted its contents.
Al Quds newspaper photographer Mahmoud Alian was injured by a rubber bullet fired by an Israeli soldier on the 6th March, while he was covering events near Abu Dis town, and on the 5th March the occupation police detained the Jordanian TV reporter journalist Rami al-Khatib, and prevented him from completing his report about Jerusalem. The occupation police also prevented "Palestine Today" TV crew (journalists Ali Musa and Hadi Aldebs) from preparing a report about the Dead Sea resources and subjected them to inspection and were then forced to leave the place.
The Israeli occupation soldiers attacked and beat Palestine TV correspondent in Bethlehem Hani Fnoun, when he was in the village of Kisan covering the sit-in against the confiscation of land on the 13th March. On 28th March the IOF prevented a group of journalists (Shady Hatem Raya FM radio website photographer, Essam Rimawi Alhaya Aljadeda photographer, Abbas Momani France press agency photographer, and Muhammad Turkmen and others) from covering the popular march in the village of Nabi Saleh in Ramallah governorate and tried to keep them out of the area.
On 29th March an Israeli policeman assaulted freelance cameraman Abdulafow Zughayyar while covering events in the city of Jerusalem.
On 30th March the correspondent and cameraman at Palestine today TV and Alquds Radio in Gaza Muthanna Al-Najjar suffered suffocation due to the targeting of Israeli soldiers a march organized near the Gaza border where he was covering. On the same day, while Hona Alquds correspondent Shatha Hammad was covering events in the town of Silwad east of Ramallah and was hit in her leg by a tear gas canister fired by Israeli soldiers directly towards her. And in Hewara town south of Nablus, Israeli soldiers attacked and beat a group of no less than 10 journalists with gas and sound bombs, and prevented them from covering the events there.
The Palestinian Violations:
During March MADA monitored and documented five cases of arrest from the total Palestinian violations recorded, having been preceded by two journalists arrested by the Palestinian security services during February. As well as monitoring cases of summons and investigation those are usually associated with detention for long hour’s periods.
On 2nd March the Palestinian Preventive Security Service arrested a senior media student at Al Quds University Mutassim Qurmsh from his home in the village of Bittelo in Ramallah governorate, and interrogated about his writings on "Facebook", and on 16th March the Palestinian Preventive Security Service arrested freelance cameraman Hisham Abu Shaqra from his home in the village of Marah Mualla in Bethlehem governorate. His detention was extended, and home was raided again on 24th March and they confiscated two video cameras (he was released on first of April).
On the 17th March the Palestinian intelligence service arrested presenter at Radio Alhorya in Hebron Radi Karama, after raiding his house, and during his arrest he was assaulted on charges of Inciting feuds and encroachment on Palestinian President and cursing high shrines.
In Gaza on 21st March, the police and security services arrested journalist Saher Aqra, who works in Alshoala online newspaper from his home and remained in custody for 6 days.
On 30th March members of the Palestinian intelligence service arrested and assaulted cameraman working for “Ramsat company” Hazem Nasser, while covering a demonstration on the occasion of Earth Day in Tulkarm, they prevented him from coverage, held him at their headquarters, and deleted the filmed material. Nasser was interrogated then taken to the headquarters of the preventive security, where he remained in custody until 10pm. His camera was seized his camera and he was asked return on the 1st April to retrieve his camera.
On 1st March the Palestinian intelligence service in Tubas summoned the correspondent of "Quds Press International News Agency " journalist Zaid Abu Arra, and interrogated about his writings on Facebook. Abu Arra was detained and his lap top was searched. In Halhul town north of Hebron, the Preventive Security Service summoned journalist and television producer Younis Hassasna and was interrogated twice, on the 1st and 4th March. Also the Palestinian Preventive security Service in Bethlehem summoned freelance cameraman Osaid Amarneh on 30th March, this came after being released for only 5 days from the Preventive security services headquarters, where he was detained for 30 days.
On 3rd March in Gaza, the journalist writer Asma Al-Ghoul received a threat for posting a comment on Facebook about the attack on journalist Abu Mgheseb.
Alhaya Aljadeeda photojournalist Essam Rimawi was wounded by a stone during coverage of confrontations between Palestinians and Israeli soldiers near the "Ofer" prison in Ramallah on 10th March, and his camera was broken.
On the 15th March the internal security service in Gaza summoned photographer in the Palestinian Network of Journalism and Media Ramadan Abu Sakran, and was interrogated about publishing his writing on social media platforms.
On 29th March the staff at Medical treatment Referrals department in the Palestinian Health Ministry attacked the crew of Raya FM Radio, journalists Muhammad Nassar and Amjad Hussain, and prevented them from airing the program about citizens complaints about the department’s poor performance.
Conclusions and Recommendations:
MADA condemns all violations against media freedom and freedom of expression, and we express our concern due to the increasing violations during the past month compared to the previous month, in the forefront the Israeli occupation that has widened its circle and intensified its attacks, especially physical assaults.
MADA also condemns the violations committed by Palestinian sides, particularly their arresting and detention of journalists’ policy.
MADA welcomes the release of journalist Osaid Amarneh after a month-long detention, yet we express deep concern at the continuing pressure on journalists and media students during their arrest and interrogation by security forces in the West Bank and Gaza to reveal their Facebook passwords. MADA confirms that it is a violation of privacy guaranteed by the Palestinian Basic Law.
MADA demands the end of all violations against journalists and holding those responsible accountable.
Details of Violations:
(1/3) - The Palestinian intelligence service in Tubas (North of west Bank) summoned the correspondent of "Quds Press International News agency" Zaid Mustafa Abu Arra (28 years old), and interrogated about his writings on Facebook. Abu Arra was detained and his lap top was searched.
Abu Arra reported to MADA: “ I received a summon from the Intelligence in Tubas on 28th February requesting my attendance on the 1st March at 10am to the headquarters. I went that day and was interrogated for a long period then I was released at about 5pm after I signed my statement and a pledge not to expose any PA members or security institutions’ staff in my reports”.
He added: “I was questioned about my writings on Facebook and my relationship with a Facebook page affiliated with Hamas that published some of my pictures, they requested my password to log in to my account, but they couldn’t access my account until they brought in my lap top and mobile phone from the house. They also investigated about my work and training with the Alaqsa Satellite TV, and some of the activities I implemented. I was also interrogated about publishing a story by anonymous people on the network, on the kidnapping attempt of Nader Sawafta a deployment of a Hamas in Tubas, and how did I publish it without creditable sources and facts. they held my computer for examination, and was told to return on the 8th to retrieve, I went then and got interrogated again for 4 hours about my work in the field of photography and archaeological areas, I was also asked to open Facebook and email before they returned my computer and released me”.
(1/3)- In Halhul Town(north of hebron), the Preventive Security Service summoned journalist and television producer Younis Ibrahim Hassasna (37 years old) and was interrogated twice, on the 1st and 4th March. Hassasna reported to MADA: “My family received a summon letter for me on the 25th February, I went to the Preventive Security Service in Halhul on 1st of March at 9am. There I waited for two hours in a cold room before the interrogation, and when the investigation began I was surprised by personal information that the investigator had about me, as they were all wrong and were far from reality, for example I'm working as construction worker and my son is 17 years old, while I am a journalist and my son age does not exceed 3 years. The interrelation lasted until 3pm, they let me go was told to return the following Wednesday (4th March). On Wednesday the interrelation was the same but by the Director of Summons as he identified himself, I reconfirmed that I only work as a journalist and in the media sector and was released at 12pm. I received information that the investigation came after a complaint against me, but the complaint report information was all false, I was treated well both times”.
(2/3)- The Palestinian Preventive Security Service arrested a senior media student at Al Quds University Mutassim Rawhi Qurmsh (26 years old) from his home in the village of Bittelo in Ramallah governorate, and interrogated about his writings on "Facebook". Qurmsh reported to MADA: “I was arrested and my lap top was confiscated on the 2nd at 11:30pm from my home, by the Preventive Security Services. I was detained at their headquarters (in Ramallah) until the afternoon of Tuesday the 3rd of March, after being interrogated from 10am to 3:30pm about my activities at the University and my posts on Facebook”.
He added: “I was released after they seized my I.D and lap top for my return for another interrogation on the 8th March, but it was postponed until the 9th after my cousin interfered so I can attend my exams. I went that Monday (9th march) to their headquarters at 9am, where they reviewed my previous statement, I was treated well and didn’t sign any documents, I was releases at 1pm and they returned my lap top”.
(3/3)- The Israeli occupation army prevented a group of about 20 Palestinian journalists from entering the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron city, and were only allowed to enter only if they give up the cameras. The editor at Alhaya Aljadeda newspaper Mahmud Alfaroukh (35 years old) reported to MADA:” A huge group of journalists headed to Hebron, specifically to the old ancient Hebron to cover the suffering of the inhabitants from the continues attacks by Israeli settlers. The group included members of the journalists’ kinetic office in Hebron, a group of journalists who are members of the Board of Directors or members of the General Secretariat of the Journalists Syndicate from the various areas in the West Bank (including: Journalist Moeen Shadeed from Tulkarim, Mohamed Allaham from Bethlehem, Jihad Alqawasmi from Hebron), when we went the occupation troops prevented us from entering because of our cameras (which shows that we are journalists), and under the pretext that some of us wearing the Palestinian scarf Kofeya, and we were asked to take them off and to give up our cameras before entering the mosque, but we refused to do so, we protested for an hour, but left after we were pushed, and because we noticed the soldiers were about to launch gas and sound bombs at us”.
(3/3)- In Gaza, the writer and journalist Asma Awad Al-Ghoul (31 years old), a correspondent for "the Monitor" and "Samir Kassir institution” received a threat for posting on Facebook about the attack on journalist Abu Mgheseb. Al-Goul reported to MADA: “I posted on Facebook about the beating and attack on journalist Abu Mghseb, and on 3rd March I received a inbox message on Facebook saying: you have 12 hours to delete your post, or your life will be in danger , this is not a threat but more like an advice”. She added: “I didn’t delete my post and after 12 hours I received a 2nd message with my exact home address, as a confirmation that the sender knows where I live, so I blocked the sender, and that was the end of the conversation”.
(5/3)- The Israeli occupation soldiers prevented Al Jazeera TV crew from covering an attack by Israeli settlers on the Maghyeer village in Ramallah governorate, and they confiscated the camera's memory and deleted its contents. Ramadan Raja Afana (40 years old) a cameraman reported to MADA: “at around 8:00am we (the crew: Afana and Soundman Abdullah Fawadla (36 years old)) were at the village to cover the settlers attacks, where the settlers burned two cars and wrote racist slogans around the village. The IOF came to stop us from filming and they took the camera’s memory chips and said we've filmed intelligence officers. We returned the chips in the afternoon from the settlement of Maale Adumim, with the help of an employee of the Palestinian liaison after the IOF scanned and erased the content”.
(5/3)- The occupation police detained the Jordanian TV reporter Rami Al-Khatib (35 years old), and prevented him from completing his report about Jerusalem. Al-Khatib reported to MADA: “I was at Buraq Wall in order to accomplish a news report, when a guard called the Israeli police and accused me that I was filming the guards and focused on their faces. The policeman came and asked me what I do, so I answered that I am preparing a press report, which is not forbidden, but he detained me for about an hour, I was released after he threaten me with arrest and investigation”.
(6/3)- Al Quds newspaper photographer Mahmoud Ibrahim Alian (40 years old) was injured by a rubber bullet fired by an Israeli soldier, while he was covering events near Abu Dies Town near Jerusalem . Alian reported to MADA: “while I was covering the occupation attack on the activists of “Bawabet Al Quds village”, and as my colleagues Essam Rimawi, Abbas Momani, and I were standing away from the protestors, we were deliberately targeted with gas bombs and rubber bullets by soldiers, which caused my injury in my left calf by a rubber bullet, I was treated in the field”.
(10/3)- Alhaya Aljadeeda photojournalist Essam Huda Rimawi was wounded by a stone during coverage of confrontations between Palestinians and Israeli soldiers near the Israeli "Ofer" prison near Ramallah on 10th March, and his camera was broken. Rimawi reported to MADA: “While covering clashes between Birzeit University students and the occupation army at the Ofer prison, a stone struck my left hand at the elbow and bounced, breaking my camera completely. I received treatment in the field”.
(13/3)- The Israeli occupation soldiers attacked and beat Palestinisn Public TV correspondent in Bethlehem Hani Ahmed Fnoun (32 years old), when he was in the village of Kisan covering the sit-in against the confiscation of land. Fnoun reported to MADA: “my colleague Cameraman Mohamed Sbeeh (25 years old) and I headed to cover the village protest against bulldozing the village land. We arrived at 12pm and were surprised that the IOF announced the village a closed military zone, during the Friday prayers, I was singled out among the worshipers and the army brutally forced me out - despite identifying myself as a journalist- They tied my hands and beat me all over my body, especially my head and my hands”. He added: “the citizens tried to help me, and I was pulled both ways, and after the army shot gas and sound bombs at the citizens, I was hit by shrapnel because I was so close. I've become very week, and my blood pressure dropped and I feel to the floor, the citizens took me a little farther away from the area, but the army came back again and tried to arrest me, but could not because the citizens prevented them from doing so. I will go to the hospital and do the necessary tests”.
Other journalists who were at the sight: Palestine Today TV Fida Nasr, Pal media cameraman Samer Hamad, photographer at Alquds dot com Abdul Rahman Yunus, Luay Sababa photographer at Xinhua agency, and Ahmed Mazhar "Wafa" agency photographer, they were also attacked and pushed and prevented from covering.
(13/3)- The occupation police prevented "Palestine Today" TV crew (reporter Ali Mohamed Musa (30 years old) and cameraman Hadi Nasri Aldebs(32 years old)) from preparing a report about the Dead Sea resources and subjected them to inspection and were then forced to leave the place. Musa reported to MADA: “I headed with Aldebs to the Glia beach to prepare a report on the Dead Sea resources, when we arrived we asked the guards to allow us to enter, after waiting 10 minutes the guards informed us that we are not allowed to enter and must leave. And when we left from the main gate, we met troops who are called border guards and they searched us and searched our car and checked our I.Ds. One of them told us: do not come back here”.
(15/3)- the internal security service in Gaza city summoned photographer in the Palestinian Network of Journalism and Media Ramadan Jamal Abu Sakran (21 years old), and was interrogated about publishing his writing on social media platforms. Abu Sakran reported to MADA: “on Sunday 15th March I received a summon letter at my home at around 1:30pm to meet the internal security right away at their headquarters in Sheikh Radwan, but I was not home when they sent the letter, I was at work”. He added: “at around 4pm I headed to the headquarters and was told to return on Monday the 16th at 9am. I headed to the appointment on time, and was interrogated about my writing on a social media pages, and was asked why do I defamed and curse the government? My reply was that I didn’t defame and curse, and I was released at 1:00 pm.
(16/3)- The Palestinian Preventive Security Service arrested freelance cameraman Hisham Kamel Abu Shaqra (26 years old) from his home in the village of Marah Mualla in Bethlehem governorate. Abu Shaqra’s father reported to MADA: “members of the preventive security raided our home at around 1 pm, they searched the house thoroughly for a half an hour, and caused damages to the furniture, and then they arrested my son and took him to their headquarters in Bethlehem, after seizing his lap top, books and papers”. He added that his son Hisham returned to the West Bank only three months ago, where he worked in Kuwait and stayed there about three years, and he does not have any political activity or affiliation”.
Hisham’s detention was later extended to 15 days in custody at the request of the prosecution on charges of " inciting sectarian conflict”, because he publishes pictures and articles on the Islamic movement in Bethlehem, as reported by his lawyer Magdi Alwahsh, who explained, "the appeal for his release was refused twice, the second time was today 25th march”.
Hisham’s father added: “our home was raided again on 24th and they confiscated 2 cameras that belong to his son”, (he was released on 1st of April.
(16/3)- The IOF arrested a media student at the Institute of Modern Media and a reporter at Bethlehem news network Islam Za’l Salem (23 years old), after a raid on his home in the Shawawrah village in Bethlehem Governorate. His wife reported to MADA: “the IOF raided our home during the night and asked Islam to surrender because he wasn’t home, so the Israeli officer requested to speak with Islam on the phone, and demanded him to surrender at the 300 checkpoint in Bethlehem, at Asyoun checkpoint, or at the DCO checkpoint by 9am the next day the 16th march, and so he did”. She added: “on Wednesday the 18th Islam call us and told us he needs a lawyer, and that he is scheduled to court the next day 19th of march, it was been postponed until Tuesday 24th march, and was again postponed until the 27th of may”.
(17/3)- The Palestinian intelligence service arrested presenter at Radio Alhorya in Hebron Radi Ahmed Karama (26 years old), after raiding his house, and during his arrest he was assaulted on charges of Inciting feuds and encroachment on Palestinian President and cursing high shrines. Karama reported to MADA: “a number of 6 jeeps from the Palestinian intelligence service raided our home at 11pm; they had an order from the public prosecution to search my house and arrest me. I went with them to the intelligence center, on the way they treated me very badly, where they cursed me and one of them kicked me with his foot, when we arrived I handed my personal items, then I was showed to the medical services, then stood up and with my hands up for three hours without sleep”.
He added: “I was interrogated, while being cursed, insulting me, and abused with obscene words and called me animal like a donkey, on charges of Inciting feuds and encroachment on Palestinian President and cursing high shrines, I was confronted with reports showing that, but I denied the charges against me, because the page alleged was not mine though it had a Picture of me. The next day after dawn prayers, I was investigated again on the same subject for five hours, on this day I was released about half past eight pm, after signing of my statement. I was asked to return on Monday 23rd March for another interrogation at the same place”.
He added: “I went that day at 10am, I was interrogated by the officer in charge for 3 hours, but was more like a normal chat, the officer focused on the need for my reporting to be patriotic and free from criticism of the President and the government, and he asked me not to cover Hamas activities or marches. I left the place without appointing me to more interrogation appointments”.
(21/3)- In Gaza, the police and security services arrested journalist Saher Khalil Aqra (33 years old), who works in Alshoala online newspaper from his home in Deir al-Balah camp-Gaza Strip and remained in custody for 6 days. Aqra reported to MADA: “on Saturday 21st March at around 6:30am, members of the police and security services (some were dressed as civilians) surrounded my house in Deir al-Balah camp and they were all carrying weapons. I was awakened by their movement around the house and went up to the roof to see what’s going on, and they saw me I was asked to come down to them. So I did and they told me that I must go with them, so I asked for the order for my arrest or the public prosecution official request, or order to search my house, they said: We do not want to search your home, we want you and there is no warrant, and they took me to the police station in Deir al-Balah”.
Aqra added: I stayed in custody from Saturday until Thursday, and I was not asked or interrogated by anyone, and for the duration of my detention I ask: Why am I detained? Which side arrested me? But to no avail. On Thursday, 26th March at nearly 4 pm I was released, without knowing the reason for my arrest”.
(28/3)- the IOF prevented a group of journalists from covering the popular march in the village of Nabi Saleh in Ramallah governorate and tried to keep them out of the area. Haytham Alkhateeb (38 years old) freelance journalist reported to MADA: “The Israeli soldiers prevented us from covering the weekly march of Nabi Saleh and was declared a closed military zone, and they gave us a paper stating that, but we insisted to stay in the area to cover, and we have succeeded in doing so, despite what we were exposed to from pushing during the coverage by the soldiers. Other journalist who were there: Shady Hatem Raya FM radio photographer, Essam Rimawi Alhaya Aljadeda photographer, Abbas Momani France press agency photographer, and Muhammad Turkmen”.
(29/3)- The staff at Medical treatment Referrals department in the Palestinian Health Ministry in Ramallah city attacked the crew of Raya FM Radio, journalists Muhammad younis Nassar (27 years old) and Amjad basem Hussain (24 years old), and prevented them from airing the program about citizens complaints about the department’s poor performance. Nassar, the presenter of “with the people” show which airs on Raya FM, reported to MADA: “Hussain and I headed to the department of medical care transfer in Ramllah at around 8 am, where my show received many complaints by citizens about the poor treatment they get from the department staff. 1st we noticed that a number of staff were late for their shift at work “they arrived at 8:30am”. The director of the department Amera Alhindi called us, yelled at us, and prevented us from airing, and said: You are compelled to sit and I forbid you from airing, her excuse was that we didn’t have permission to broadcast the program from there, and when we decided to leave a group of employees began to push us out with their hands”.
He added: “we previously broadcasted from the president’s office and were not exposed to the same bad treatment”.
(29/3)- The IOF also arrested a show presenter at “Alraba’a” radio in Hebron journalist Ali Abdulkarim Oweiwi (26 years old), after they raided and searched his house and confiscated some of his personal equipment. Oweiwi’s father reported to MADA: “a great force of the occupation army (about eight patrols) broke into our house in the city of Hebron., at about 2 am. The soldiers did not wait until we open the door, and they broke the main door and searched the house and broke some furniture, they also confiscated 3 mobile communication devices in addition to a Hard disk before damaging the computer. And according to the complaints office, Ali was moved to Ashkelon prison, without any charges being brought against him”.
(29/3)- An Israeli policeman assaulted the freelance cameraman Abdulafow Bassam Zughayyar (22 years old) while covering events in the city of Jerusalem. Zughayyar reported to MADA: I and another freelance journalist Iyad Alkharouf (26 years old) were covering the Israeli police attacks on women who were uprooted from the Al-Aqsa Mosque at Bab Silsileh. Then a policeman assaulted us verbally with insults and physically by pushing us, his excuse was that we were preventing them from doing their job, and he threatened to arrest me if I didn’t leave the area”.
(30/3)- Members of the Palestinian military service arrested and assaulted cameraman working for “Ramsat company” Hazem Emad Nasser (25 years old), while covering a demonstration on the occasion of Earth Day in Tulkarm area nrth of West bank, they prevented him from coverage, held him at their headquarters, and deleted the filmed material. Nasser was interrogated then taken to the headquarters of the preventive security, where he was interrogated again and remained in custody until 10pm. His camera was seized and he was asked return on the 1st April to retrieve his camera.
Nasser reported to MADA: “a group of journalists and I, were at Natanya gate West of Tulkarem covering clashes there on the occasion of Earth Day. Palestinian security forces intervened in an attempt to suppress the protests, and despite their attack on journalists as a whole, but someone deliberately pushed me more than once, and told me that photography is forbidden and asked me to put down my camera, and when I refused another one came and arrested me from the place”.
Nasser added: “when we arrived to their headquarters, they entered me into the interrogation room and began questioning me about my work and political affiliation, I answered that I am an employee at Ramsat, a company that offers services to a verity of media outlets, and that I have no political affiliations, or any connection with satellite TVs. The officer viewed what I filmed on my camera which covered the Palestinian intelligence service arriving to the area, and he asked me to delete it, and asked me to write a statement, but I refused to do so, because I was at the Military Intelligence Service, and I'm not in the military (military intelligence specializes in issues of security forces not civilians). In the afternoon I was transfer to the preventive security headquarters, there I was interrogated for 2 hours about my political affiliations, my job, and my salary and form of payment, and they also asked whether I had a bank account. I was then sent to a cell where I stayed until 10pm, where the guard came and gave me back my personal items and told me to come back on Wednesday 1st April to retrieve the camera”.
Nasser said that the Preventive Security services told the journalists’ syndicate that I was wanted by them, and that they sent me a summon, but I did not go, and this is not true, because I never received any letter from the Preventive Security Service”.
(30/3)- In Hewara town south of Nablus, Israeli soldiers attacked and beat a group of no less than 10 journalists with gas and sound bombs, and prevented them from covering a demonstration organized in the town. The Jordanian Ro’aya TV correspondent in Palestine Nibal Khaled Farsakh (25 years old) reported to MADA: “ while we were covering a demonstration on the main road of Howara on the occasion of Earth day, the Isreali Occupation army tried to suppress the protesters as a whole by throwing at them sound and gas grenades and sprayed them with pepper spray. The soldiers were deliberately targeting journalists, after they failed to restrain the protest, as they deliberately directed their gas bombs under our feet, while most journalists got pushed around and prevented from covering, and the soldiers were yelling at the journalists “you are not allowed to film here”.
Farsakh indicated that the prevention process and assault affected most of the journalists who were in the area (more than a dozen journalists) those who are known to be there: journalist Alaa Badarne photographer at 24 FM and EPA, Saleh Hamad photographer at Anatolia agency, Mohammed Shousha cameraman at Ro’aya TV, Essam Rimawi photographer at Alhaya Aljadeeda”.
Ahmed Alkilani (33 years old) the producer at Palmedia also reported to MADA: “while covering the Earth day celebration and street demonstration, a confrontation occurred between the IOF and protestors, where the IOF prevented them from walking or passing the main Howara road, with sound bombs to suppress the protest followed by gas bombs, I was hit directly by a gas bomb, which caused me suffocation after it exploded between my legs. I received treatment in the field at a nearby super market, because there was no ambulance in the area”.
He added: “Ahmed Hassan a colleague photographer was pushed more than once by the soldiers, and Ala Badarne was also pushed and insulted verbally, Reuters photographer Hassan Altiti was hit with a sound bomb in his right foot, Jaffar Ishtaya the French agency photographer suffocated due to the gas bombs shot at us”.
Almothana Sameer Deek (25 years old) a cameraman at Ramsat reported that he was injured that day, 1st by a sound bomb in his chest, which slightly effected him and was able to presume his work, the 2nd injury was a deliberate and direct sound bomb shot at his right knee, and his colleague journalists carried him to an ambulance near by”.
(30/3)- The correspondent at Palestine today TV and Alquds Radio in Gaza Muthana al-Najjar (30years old), suffered from suffocation due to the targeting of Israeli soldiers a protest organized near the Gaza border with tear gas.
Al-Najjar reported to MADA: "Palestine today crew (Akram Dalloul a correspondent, Mohammed Abu Ta’a a photojournalist, and Hassan Ghareeba a staff member) went to cover the event, which was called for by the National Committee to break the siege on the occasion of Earth Day, east of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. The youth were waving the Palestinian flags and lit tires, which caused a black cloud in the area, this provoked the Israeli soldiers who began firing tear gas from time to time at everyone, which led to my injury by a tear gas canister that caused me suffocation and burned my eyes, I was treated in the field”.
(30/3)- Huna Alquds network correspondent Shatha Abdulrahman Hammad (26 years old) was covering events in the town of Silwad east of Ramallah, and was hit in her leg by a tear gas canister fired by Israeli soldiers directly towards her. Hammad reported to MADA: “While covering clashes in the town of Silwad on the occasion of Earth Day the Israeli soldiers fired tear gas canister directly at me, which caused me suffocation, and when I stood to wear a mask I was hit with another bomb that hit my left leg, the injury was minor. I received treatment in the ambulance”.
Hammad added: “a number of journalists were at the area covering, including photographer Shadi Hatem, AFPphotographer Abbas Momani, WAFA agency crew; photographer Baha Nasser and correspondent Rasha Haraz Allah, and also photographer Essam Rimawi, who was pushed by one of the soldiers”.
(30/3)- the Palestinian Preventive security Service in Bethlehem summoned freelance cameraman Osaid Abdulmajeed Amarneh (30 years old), this came after being released for only 5 days from the Preventive security services headquarters, where he was detained for 30 days. Amarneh did not attend the scheduled interrogation on the 30th.
The Palestinian Preventive security Service arrested Amarna on 24th February 2015 and remained in custody until 25th March 2015, during this period his detention was extended more than once without bringing any charges against him.
Amarna reported to MADA on 26th March: “I was only interrogated during the first 10 days of my detention period, the other days I was in solidarity cell, they mostly investigated about my journalistic work, in addition I was asked about my affiliation with Hamas, and I have explained that I have not been part of any political party since 2005, they also investigated the payment method of my monthly salary, which is through a bank. They also questioned me about a person who asked me about how to enter money to Palestine and I answered him then that I have no information how, and I only receive my salary from out of the country. During the interrogation I threatened to uphold from eating from time to time depending on the investigation subject, where they investigated my activities during my education years. However, I actually went on hunger strike the last five days and I did only eat a glass of yogurt every evening. On Wednesday 25th March at 3 o’clock they returned my personal Items, I was asked to sign a statement that says I receive money from Hamas and that I work for them, so I demanded them to make the necessary changes to it without any fabrications, stating that I work as a journalist for a TV affiliated with Hamas. I signed it after pressure so I can be released”.
Amarneh added: “in general I received bad treatment, which included threats and cursing, but it did not involve any physical torture or beatings. I was released on Wednesday 25th, and asked to be back to meet the Preventive Security Service again on the 30th”.
Amarneh in subsequent testimony reported that he did not go on 30th to the security headquarters as he was requested to do so before his release.
