Ramallah – 13of April 2015 witnessed a continuous violations against media freedoms and Palestinian Journalists, with a number of 30 violations monitored by the Palestinian center for Development and media freedoms “MADA”, including a large amount of highly dangerous attacks.
the Palestinian sides’ committed 17 violations against media freedoms; 4 were monitored in the West Bank, and 13 violations were monitored in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli Occupation forces )IOF( committed 13 violations; one violation was committed against 4 Palestinian journalists, and
The most prominent was the mysterious killing of journalist Kamal Abu Nahal, and the wide attack on journalists who covered a peaceful mass protest in Gaza, and in Ramallah the media student Bara Alqadi was kidnapped and beaten by anonyms people in Ramallah, and the IOF targeted many journalists directly while covering different events, and many were beaten, prevented from covering, and injured.
Israeli Violations:
In April 2015 the IOF committed 13 media freedoms violations, the most prominent was on 28th April the IOF fired two rubber bullets deliberately towards the photographer of Chinese news agency "Xinhua" Nidal Ashtiyeh, he was injured while covering a demonstration on the effects of Israeli chemical factories near Tulkarem city. In addition on 17th April Palmedia cameraman Ashraf Abu Shawesh was injured with a rubber bullet, and a foreign journalists “name still unknown” was injured in the head with a Shrapnel from a bullet type Toto (explosive) fired by IOF towards journalists while covering clashes erupted in Kfer Kdoum village nrth of West bank.
On 15th April the IOF arrested Journalist Ameen Abu Warda, the director of Asda for the press and media news website after raiding his house in Nablus, and they confiscated computers and a cell phone. And on 17th April the correspondent of Jerusalem TV Journalist Linda Shukri Shalash was severely suffocated after IOF fired a gas bomb towards her while she was interviewing the President of the Palestinian Initiative, Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi, on the sidelines of a rally in the village of Bil'in.
On 3rd April the IOF prevented the correspondent of Hona Alquds Network journalist Shatha Hamad from covering clashes in Silwad town east of Ramallah, and the soldiers tried to confiscate her camera. On 9th April the IOF also prevented Roaya TV cameraman Mohamed Shosha, and the correspondent Nebal Farsakh, and the correspondent of Palestine TV Sarah Aladra, and the photo journalist Zahir Abu Hussein the Managing Editor of Fattehwatan.ps from covering A protest against the closure of main streets in front of movement of Palestinian civilians. On 10th April the IOF fired two sound bombs towards Shatha Hamad the correspondent of Hona Alquds Network , and the crew of the Palestinian Public TV ( Ali Dar Ali and cameraman Shamikh Aljaghoub), while covering clashes in Silwad town.
On 24th April the IOF assaulted the Agence France-Presse photographer Abbas Almomani and an Israeli journalist “called hayeem” and another 2 unknown journalists, while covering clashes erupted in Nabi Saleh village.
On 29th April the correspondent of Anin Al Qaid media network journalist Bushra Altaweel marked the end of her sentence, yet she remains detained by the occupation authorities.
The Palestinian Violations:
The Palestinian sides committed a number of 17 violations in the West Bank and Gaza Strip; most prominent was the killing of Palestine TV correspondent Kamal Abu Nahal in Gaza city, a father of three boys, in mysterious circumstances as a result of an assault with a sharp object at dawn on the 14th April.
On 2nd April in Ramallah, Bara Alqadi a media student and the president of the media club at Birzeit University, and his sister were beaten in Ramallah city by 4 masked and unknown men, then he was kidnapped and beaten again. And the wide attack, which was carried out by security men and people affiliated to Hamas in Gaza, against journalists who were covering a peaceful rally on 29th April. And on 2nd April the Preventive Security Service in Tulkarem detained the correspondent of "Palestine Economic Gate" freelance journalist Bakir Attili for a day and was subjected to investigation, and he was investigated again two days later.
On 15th April Alaqsa University in Gaza Strip dismissed a media student Mohamed Alasmar and 3 of his colleagues (Ghadeer Abumashal, Mohamed Azziz, and 3rd but name unknown), because Alasmar published a picture of a university staff while playing online games during work hours. And on 27th April in Birzeit, the Preventive Security Service raided the home of freelance journalist Mosab Saeed “who is also a university student”, Saeed home was searched and a group of his journalistic work was confiscated. And on 28th April while taking photos of an accident in Bethlehem, journalist Abed Alrahman Younis, the correspondent of Alquds dot com and Albalad Radio, was beaten by Palestinian Police.
The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) reiterates its strong condemnation of all attacks and violations against media freedoms and journalists, we express concern about the continuity and extent of serious and severe violations against journalists, and reaffirm the urgency to hold all those responsible accountable and to stop them.
Details of Violations:
(2/4)- in Ramallah, Bara Alqadi a 22 year old media student and the president of the media club at Birzeit University, and his sister were beaten by 4 masked and unknown men, then he was kidnapped and beaten again in a different area. The incident came after he was threatened for publishing sarcastic criticism of Palestinian President Abu Mazen.
Alqadi reported to (MADA) that: “at around 7pm, my sister and I left Kastana restaurant in Ramallah Altahta area, when 4 masked attacked us and started beating us, they let my sister alone, and covered my eyes and kidnapped me to a Altira area, where they continued to beat me with their feet on my hands, head, and legs, I was left there alone”.
Alqadi also reported that he was unable to identify his attackers because “they were masked and they blind folded me, and their voices were also unfamiliar and unrecognizable, but I suspect they are members of the Authority or the Palestinian security services, where two weeks ago I had received 2 anonymous phone calls with Israeli numbers, with threats of getting, attacked, kidnapped, and killed, and they came after I posted an ironic criticism of President Abu Mazen.
He was treated at Ramallah hospital and his medical examination showed bruises in different parts of his body. Alqadi have been detained by Palestinian security services in September 2014 and December 2015 for writings press reports and his comments on Facebook. "[1]
(2/4)- the Preventive Security Service in Tulkarem city detained the correspondent of "Palestine Economic Gate" freelance journalist Bakir Ibrahim Attili (29 years old) for a day and was subjected to investigation, and he was investigated again two days later.
Attili reported to MADA that: “on this day I received a summon to meet the Preventive Security Service, I went to their headquarters in Tulkarem, and I waited in a small room of bad condition until the next day, I was also investigated in bad conditions, where they screamed at me and threatened me regarding a previous arrest by IOF (I was detained by IOF in 2008 for my university activities). I then signed my statement and was released and asked to return in two days. I went back on 4th April and was investigated again for 3 hours on the same previous matters, and then released”.
(3/4)- the IOF prevented the correspondent of Hona Alquds Network journalist Shatha Abd Alrahman Hamad (26 years old) from covering clashes in Silwad town east of Ramallah, and the soldiers tried to confiscate her camera.
Hamad reported to MADA that: “Soldiers tried to directly prevent me from covering the weekly confrontations that took place on Friday (3/4) in the town of Silwad, where I underwent an investigation at the beginning, by the Israeli soldiers at the western entrance of the town and asked me questions about my press work, and who I work for, and when I was filming one of the soldiers who fired at the demonstrators they tried to confiscate my cameras, but I resisted and prevented them by force”.
(9/4)- the IOF prevented a group of journalists from covering a protest against the closure of main streets in front of movement of Palestinian civilians, so that Israeli settlers can run a marathon. Roaya TV cameraman Mohamed Radi Shosha (32 years old) reported to MADA that: “We went to the village of Turmus'ayya village (north of Ramallah) to cover the protest march organized as a rejection to settlers athlete Marathon and road closures preventing the movement of Palestinian citizens, where all the roads were closed, while covering Israeli police prevented us from standing on the street. I was there with my colleague Roaya TV correspondent journalist Nebal Farsakh, and the correspondent of Palestine TV Sarah Aladra, and the photo journalist Zahir Abu Hussein the Managing Editor of Fattehwatan.ps “the Office of fateh National Relations site”. They also prevented us from standing on the pavement after the disciplinarian army came, and forced us to stay away from the place, and then the anti-riot unit showed up and pushed us around and prevented us from coverage by closing the cameras with their hands”.
(10/4)- April the IOF fired two sound bombs towards Abd Alrahman Hamad (26 years old) the correspondent of Hona Alquds Network , and the crew of the Palestinian Public TV ( Ali Dar ali and cameraman Shamikh Aljaghoub), while covering clashes in Silwad town. Hammad reported to MADA that: “During our presence at the entrance of Silwad in order to cover the weekly confrontations, In spite us staying far from the soldiers and the demonstrators stones zone as usual, but this did not prevent one of the soldiers from approaching us and let us know that they do not allow filming, but he will allow it this time, which didn’t stop one of the soldiers fire sound bombs at us, but they did not cause any injury or harm”.
(14/4)- the killing of Palestine TV correspondent Kamal Mohamed Ali Abu Nahal (40 years old and a father of three boys), in Gaza city, in mysterious circumstances as a result of an assault with a sharp object at dawn of Tuesday the 14th, according to the report of the medical examiner as reported by his family.
Kamal’s brother, Omar Abu Nahel reported to MADA: “I received a phone call this morning from my other brother telling me that after morning prayers, the worshipers found Kamal’s dead body near his house in Al-Nusra neighborhood in Gaza city.”
He added: “The anatomy and the medical report show that Kamal was stabbed three times by a screwer in different parts of his body, in the neck, the throat and in the bottom of his back near the kidney; which caused his death.”
He pointed out: “Kamal left my house at around 12:30 AM heading to his own house, he was wearing a formal suit, but when he was found dead, he was wearing something else. This shows that when he arrived to his house, he left again and it is difficult to determine the time because his wife was sleeping, when he arrived home.”
He added: “We do not accuse specific persons of this crime, since Kamal was peaceful and had no enemies.” [2]
(15/4)- Alaqsa University in Gaza Strip dismissed a media student Mohamed Khalil Ismael Alasmar (19 years old) a resident of Rafah citysouth of Gaza Strip, after they investigated him about publishing a picture of a university staff while playing online games during work hours. Alasmar reported to MADA that: “Three students went at the end of March to complete administrative transactions, and the employee on duty was playing / games / on his computer, and while the students are waiting for him to complete their transactions one of them (the student Mohamed Aziz) took a picture of the employee, and I got this image and posted it on my Facebook page, and I pointed out that the employee is a neglecter and there is no supervision in the university”.
Alasmar added: “on 1st April I was subjected to a commission of inquiry comprising Dean of Student Affairs and two of his colleagues interrogated me about the student council and the employee in the photo. The Committee considered my post defamatory for the university, and that the photo was fabricated, but I consider it a clarification and freedom of opinion and expression”.
He added: “on 15th April I was officially dismissed from the university, and on the next day the university also dismissed 3 other students and they are: Ghadeer Abumashal, Mohamed Azziz, and 3rd but name unknown”. [3].
(15/4)- the IOF arrested the director of Asda for the press and media Journalist Ameen Abdul Aziz Abu Warda (48 years old) after raiding his house in Nablus city, and they confiscated computers and a cell phone.
Abu Warde’s wife reported to MADA: “The IOF raided our house in Nablus between 2:00-2:30 AM; they searched it after detaining Amin alone in a room. They interrogated him for a whole hour then he told us they are arresting him. They also seized 3 laptops as well as Amin’s cell phone.
Abu Warde’s wife added:” on 21st April he had a trial hearing in Salem court, and he was admitted to the administrative detentions for 6 months, we appealed it on 27th April, and its consideration was postponed until 5/6”.
(17/4)- Palmedia cameraman Ashraf Mahmoud Abu Shawesh (37 years old) was injured with a rubber bullet, and a foreign journalists “name still unknown” was injured in the head with a Shrapnel from a bullet type Toto (explosive) fired by IOF towards journalists while covering clashes erupted in Kfer Kdoum village, Qalqeliya north of West Bank.
Abu Shawesh reported to MADA: “I was injured by a rubber bullet in my right foot when I was a running away with young demonstrators towards the village of Kafr Kdoum, after the IOF ambushed the participants as usual, where suddenly the soldiers came out of their hideout and attacked us quickly, and soldiers fired tear gas and rubber bullets heavily towards all who were there. But my injury was minor and did not receive treatment anywhere”.
(17/4)- the correspondent of Jerusalem TV Journalist Linda Shukri Shalash (27 years old) was severely suffocated after IOF fired a gas bomb towards her while she was interviewing the President of the Palestinian Initiative, Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi, on the sidelines of a rally in the village of Bil'in west of Rammallah.
Shalash reported to MADA: “we were in Bil'in in order to cover a demonstration on the occasion of Palestinian Prisoners Day, when the army fired gas grenades at the demonstrators, I was about 200 m away from the demonstrators and the Israeli occupation soldiers alike, and while I was interviewing live Dr. Mustafa Barghouti, head of the Palestinian National Initiative I noticed a group of soldiers heading towards us, and fired gas bombs at us directly, which led to my severe suffocation (I can assure you as the most difficult cases of asphyxia that I went through during my career), I woke up after almost a quarter of an hour where some people treated me on the field”.
(24/4)- A group of IOF soldiers assaulted the Agence France-Presse photographer Abbas Abdulwahab Almomani (40 years old) and an Israeli journalist “called hayeem” and another 2 unknown journalists, while covering clashes erupted in Nabi Saleh village north west of Ramllah. Almomani reported to MADA: “we were in Nabi Saleh village, in order to cover the weekly demonstration there as usual, and it was clear that the army sent a contingent to target journalists or distract them, despite us being away from the demonstrators. The IOF began firing sound and gas grenades at us, and we verbally abused us. This contingent attacked us, and deliberately beaten us – I and an Israeli Journalist named Hayeem - They beat us on our hands and our feet with their hands and rifle ends, while my colleague Essam Rimawi - Alhaya Aljadeeda newspaper photographer -managed to escape from them, and my colleague Mohammed Turkman, was able to capture several photographs documenting the abuse. We received treatment on the field; our Injuries were minor and consisted of some blue spots on our bodies as a result of the beating”.
(27/4)- in Birzeit town west of Ramallah, the Preventive Security Service raided the home of freelance journalist Mosab Ibraheem Saeed “who is also a university student”, Saeed home was searched and a group of his journalistic and school work was confiscated, but he managed to escape and reported to MADA that: “a large force of Preventive Security Service “as they introduced them self” which included 4 cars and about 50 armed forces, raided our home in Birzeit at around 10 pm, and they terrified my family and our guests who came to congratulate me for finishing a seminar on research episodes from the university. And after 25 armed forces entered the house - I had ran away outside the home then – they thoroughly and barbarically searched my home, and my room, and confiscated anything that was mine, where they confiscated a flash memory I use for my work at Aneen Al-qadi media network, a number of 4 camera memory cards, all papers and a copy of my graduation seminar, and my Identification card and drivers license from my wallet, but they didn’t confiscate my computer, and my mom prevented them from taking my cell phone and camera”.
He added: “After the completion of their inspection, they told my family that I have to go to the Preventive Security headquarters for an hour as part of routine, yet they did not have any formal summon letter, and they did not present any official permission to search the house. I am now in the town of Abu Dis, and will not go until the end of my university exams”.
(28/4)- the IOF fired two rubber bullets deliberately towards the photographer of Chinese news agency "Xinhua" Nidal Shafiq Ashtiyeh (45 years old), he was injured while covering a demonstration on the effects of Israeli chemical factories near Tulkarem city north of West Bank. Ashtiyeh reported to MADA that: “I went to cover a demonstration in Tulkarem against Jeicora Israeli chemical factories, I was at a distance away from demonstrators no less than 25 meters, and while they threw stones at Israeli control tower located in the demonstration site, which has a height of about 7 meters inside the separation wall, and while the soldiers also fired sound and gas bombs, I was targeted with several rubber bullets despite that Reuters cameraman Hassan Al Titi and I were the only ones standing there, which led to my injury by two bullets; one in my left hand and the second near the muscles in my stomach. I received treatment on the field with ice bags and later with sterilized cleanser at the clinic of Mercy”.
(28/4)- while taking photos of an accident in Bethlehem, journalist Abed Alrahman Younis (28 year old), the correspondent of Alquds dot com and Albalad Radio, was beaten by Palestinian Police. Younis reported to MADA that: “between 4:30 and 5 o’clock that day, I went to cover a car accident on the intersection of Hebron and Alquds road and Almura building, And while I was taking a picture showing a woman in the car, she lifted her head and started screaming at me not to photograph her, so I introduced myself as a photographer and that the camera had no memory so images were not saved. At this moment a policeman came named Munther Abu Alyan and began attacking me, and rudely tried to confiscate the camera even after he saw my press card, he was furious when I told him I did not interfere with his work so do not interfere with mine”.
Younis added: “while I was leaving the place, came another police car and they all started attacking me, where one grabbed me from my neck, trying to strangle me, and the other was pulling me from my hand, and I was verbally abused. And they tried to take me in their car, but I bumped my spine while they were forcing me into the car, which I refused and protested. Later they let me go after the girl's brother came and attack me as well, but he soon understood that I am a journalist and I did not save any images because I had no memory in the camera. I went to Al-Yamamah Hospital and the medical examination showed 15 bruises in different parts of my body in addition to a wound down my throat and in my back and a blue mark on my spine”.
(29/4)- the correspondent of Anin Al Qaid media network journalist Bushra Altaweel marked the end of her sentence, yet she remains detained by the IOF. Bushra’s mother reported to MADA: “today my daughter’s 10 month sentence ended, but she wasn’t released, and we found out that the Israeli prison administration is used to send a list of the prisoners whose detention ended every day, and sometimes they are not released on the same day, and it is possible to extend this period to another ten days”.
Altaweel’s mother reported to MADA on the 5th May that her daughter has not been released, yet the end of her sentence has been surpassed by 7 days.
(29/4)- A wide attack was carried out by security men and people affiliated to Hamas in Gaza, against journalists who were covering a peaceful rally against the internal division, the protest details and invitation was announced via social media.
These attacks varied between beating and detention and smashing camera equipment as well as targeting journalists and prevention of coverage. These attacks affected most journalists at the scene. MADA was able to monitor 8 cases. These attacks affected the crew of "World News Media Production" and included beatings, arrests, and the destruction of two of the company's cameras. The company’s manger and Correspondent for the Kuwait News Agency and Algeria TV journalist Wesam Mufeed Abu Zeid reported to MADA that: “many of the media crews and journalist went to cover the peaceful demonstration against the division, and it was announced in advance, and after it was stopped and suppressed at the Saraya intersection, participants went to the Shijia area, and there they were surrounded by the internal security forces, and most of them were in civilian clothes, and people affiliated and supporters of Hamas entered and began targeting journalists, and beating them with hands and bat”.
He added: “during which the company’s cameraman Khaled Abu Hasera was arrested after being attacked and brutally beaten, where he was slapped and beaten with bats before being transferred to the police station, there he was beaten and punched again, which left marks on his mouth till now. We were able to contact Ehab Alghosein the Interior Ministry spokesman in Gaza, who cooperated with us in a good way, and Khaled was released after hours of detention”.
Abu Zeid added: “the other company’s cameramen Kareem Ashour (22 years old, and Younis Abu Jabal (26 years old), and the cameraman assistant Ibraheem Masood, and the Syrian Orient news TV correspondent Yousef Alsweiti (23 years old) managed to escape the attack and arrest from the internal security forces, but 2 of their camera’s were broken”.
Alarab Alakhbarai network correspondent Amer Yahia Alfara (28 years old), who also works at a producer for some Satellite TVs that belong to Alarab company, reported to MADA: “During the coverage of the march participants were holding banners and posters made from wood, I have received two-strikes from internal security agents after they took the banners from the demonstrators, the first strike was (on my forehead) and the second after I took my cameras and withdrew from the place, where I was surprised with another hit with a banner on the nose, causing bleeding”.
Other journalists who were attacked: Nabil Samih Abu Daya (43 years old), and Ahmed Mohammed Abu Kamil (28 years old), who work for "Oasis Media Production" and one of them was transfer to the police station.
Abu Daya reported to MADA that: “my colleague Abu Kamil and I went to cover the protests at around 10am in Alshijia area, where a group of journalists were there to cover including journalists from The government's press office, and we were doing our job as journalists conducting interviews and filming. After the protest I received a hit with a bat on my face and others were being attacked as well”.
He added: “I went immediately to get my colleague Ahmed with the car, where he was close to me, and we entered into a side street, and there was a group of youths chanting against the division, so Ahmed got out of the car to cover it, and that’s when he was arrested and placed in a car for security and transported to the center of Shijia police”.
Abu Kamil reported to MADA: “after the protest I got hit on my face and eye with a bat”.
He added: “when the protest ended at nearly 12:30pm my colleague Nabil Abu Daya and I left from a side street and there we saw a group of youths shouting against the division, so I got out of the car to cover, so they asked me why I was filming, so I introduced myself as a journalist, and that’s when they began screaming, and apparently they were from the Internal Security and transferred me via a bus to the center of Shijia police, I repeated that I am a journalist, but their response was “don’t keep repeating that you are a journalist”, and when I arrived at the station they kept shouting at me, and after telling them I am a journalist a police men grabbed me from shirt and told me if I didn’t shut up he will choke me”.
Abu Kamil added: “ they took my 2 mobile phones, and a film and camera memory card, and told me they will scan them, so I told them I filmed the protest, so one asked me to sign a pledge not to publish any pictures, I said to him I will publish just like other journalists will. And I kept in custody for a period of about 45 minutes and then was released but my media content remained in their possession”. “I only returned after the mediation of some friends, and I showed them the media material, and then they gave them to me, and I left the place”.
