Ramallah- 5/8/2015 The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) monitored 17 violations against media freedoms during July 2015 (12 committed by Palestinian sides and 5 by the Israeli sides). These numbers show a big decrease in violations compared to June; where 48 violations were committed, yet the dangerousness of some of the violations remained the same. It was also noticed that the Palestinian violations exceeded in number the Israeli ones.
MADA condemns all types of violations against journalists, we also demand and end to these assaults and to hold those responsible accountable, we also demand respecting freedom of expression; which is guaranteed by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as well as in the Palestinian Basic Law.
Palestinian violations:
12 violations against media freedoms were committed by Palestinian sides during July (7 were committed in the West Bank and 5 in Gaza Strip).
During July, the Palestinian Security Forces arrested and detained several journalists, some others had been interrogated. It should be pointed that most of the violations are considered violent and dangerous.
On 3/7 the Palestinian Intelligence Service arrested Quds Press International correspondent Khaldoun Mazloum from Nablus. On the other side, the Internal Security Forces in Gaza interrogated the freelance journalist Tareq Al-Farra for his writings on Facebook.
On 8/7 the Palestinian Intelligence arrested Ro’ya Media cameraman Amr Halayqa, they also arrested Jana Media Production cameraman Haitham Warasne. Saraya Al-Quds (Al-Jihad Al-Islami military brigades ) assaulted Al-Risala media institute cameraman Mahmoud Abu Hasira and forced him to delete the photos he had taken for a festival. On 13/7 the Palestinian Intelligence interrogated Al-Hurriya radio anchor Ra’ed Al-Sharif and detained him for 13 hours.
The Police spokesman in Gaza threatened the journalist at Sawt Al-Sha’b Ahmad Abu Daqqa for what he broadcasts in his program. On the other hand, the military intelligence in Tulkarem summoned and interrogated the editor at Al-Fajr Al-Jadeed TV Sami Al-Sai for criticizing the police.
Israeli violations
The Israeli forces committed numerous violations; where the most dangerous of them was assaulting a group of journalists who were covering a sit-in near Jaba’ remarking the first anniversary of the murder of the Palestinian kid Muhammad Abu Khdair.
Ro’ya TV director Nibal Farsakh and her colleague Mohammad Shoosha were sprayed with pepper spray in their faces; which caused severe suffocation for them and they were taken to the hospital.
On the same event the following journalists were banned from covering it and those are: the editor at Filisteen Al-Yaum Sira Sarhan, Palestine Public TV correspondent Sara Al-Adra, Ma’an Network cameraman Ashraf Katkout and Al-Haya Al-Jadeeda photographer Issam Rimawi.
On 8/7 The IOF detained the freelance cameraman Osaid Amarne and Trans Media cameraman Muath Amarne while they were filming the traffic crisis near Za’tara checkpoint southern Nablus.
Violations details:
2/7- The Israeli Occupation Forces assaulted Ro’ya TV General Director and correspondent Nibal Farsakh (25 Y.O) and the TV’s cameraman Mohammad Abu Shoosha and other journalists, they also sprayed them with pepper spray; which caused suffocation. Farsakh reported to MADA: “We headed to cover remarking the first anniversary of murdering Mohammad Abu Khdair in Jaba’ in front of the settlement where Abu Khdair killer lives. The event was only about holding flags and pictures of Mohammad but the IOF started throwing stun grenades. They started pushing the journalists and sprayed my colleague Abu Shoosha and I with pepper spray; and as a result we suffered severe suffocation. We were taken to Al-Salam medical center in Al-Ram then to Ramallah hospital where we stayed 3 hours getting out treatment.”
On the other hand, the editor at Filisteen Al-Yaum Sira’ Sarhan (31 Y.O) who was covering the same event reported to MADA: “The IOF pushed and threatened us; they spelled us and kept throwing stun grenade towards us.”
Sarhan Added that some journalists were in the place: Palestine Public TV correspondent Sara Al-Adra, Ma’an Network cameraman Ashraf Katkout and Al-Haya Al-Jadeeda photographer Issam Rimawi.
3/7- The Palestinian Intelligence Service arrested Quds Press International correspondent Khaldoun Mazloom (31 Y.O) from Nablus. His wife Ibtihal Mazloum reported to MADA: “At 1:00 AM the Palestinian Intelligence came to our house and told him that the head of the agency wants him at their headquarters, first he refused but they called the head who assured that he must come with them.”
She added: “They arrested Khaldoun without inspecting or seizing anything, they only seized his ID and his journalism card.”
After his release, Khaldoun reported to MADA: “ They detained me three days, they interrogated me for 15 minutes about my previous arrests in the Israeli jails and the Palestinian security forces. The legal consultant of the agency interrogated me about my activity on Facebook and asked me if I ever covered an event against the Palestinian Authority and I answered with no.”
“On Sunday, I appeared before the general prosecution , they accused me with sectarian strife and inciting against the authority with my writings. And they extended my detention for 48 hours, but After the interfering of the Journalist Syndicate and the President’s office I was released in the same day”.
For official reasons he went to the General prosecution office 24 hours after extending his detention period, and anew decision was issued to released him on unpaid bail 500 Jordanian Dinar(about $700).”
8/7- The Internal Security in Gaza interrogated the freelance journalist and media student Tareq Al-Farra (28 Y.O) about his writings on Facebook. He reported to MADA: “On 8/7 I went to the Internal Security headquarters in Khan Younis after they summoned me. They put me in the waiting room and blind folded me, they told me to hold a pole that was inside the room and told me to never sit down. At around 11 o’clock they started interrogating me about my writings on Facebook and criticizing the General Prosecutor’s decision of closing Jawwal Company, why I wrote :Hamas call and Hamas managing Gaza strip like a company. They were beating me at my back and loins during the interrogation.”
He added: “During the interrogation they took my accounts on Facebook and the password, they sent me back to the waiting room after one hour of interrogation blind folded and asked me to hold the pole without sitting.”
He said: “At around 1:00 PM they interrogated me again while I was blind folded, the officer was opening my Facebook, he asked me about my comments and posts as well as the latest post related to summoning me. He asked me remove the folder on my eyes and to delete the posts and I did, he also told me to either write an apology for writing about summoning me or to be detained, so I wrote an apology. They released me at around 4 PM asking me not to change my password and to return on 13/7.”
Al-Farra added on 29/7 that he returned to the headquarters on 13/7 and was detained for one hour and was again interrogated about his writings on Facebook.
8/7- The Palestinian Intelligence service arrested Ro’ya Media cameraman Amr Halayqa (24 Y.O) from Hebron city, he reported to MADA: “My colleague Haitham Warasne and I were arrested by the intelligence service for 5 days; during the arrest they interrogated me about my personal life and my career. On the next day the General Prosecution extended our detention for another 48 hours and on Sunday 12/7 we had a court session and we were accused of inciting against the authority (though they did not interrogate us about this issue during the detention). We told the judge that we are journalists and we are aware of the law, plus that we do not have affiliation for any political party. The court decided that we were innocent and were released with 2000 Jordanian Dinars bail.”
8/7- The Palestinian Intelligence Service arrested Jana for Media Production cameraman Haitham Warasne (23 Y.O) from Hebron city. He reported to MADA: “I was arrested on 8/7 early in the morning and the intelligence forces seized my ID and cellphone. They interrogated me at 2 PM for 15 minutes about my career as a journalist and for whom I work, later I was sitting in an uncomfortable way until 8:00 PM; as a result; I passed out and did not regain my consciousness until someone kicked me while spraying water at me, I had spasm and was sent to the hospital for treatment.”
He added: “On Thursday I appeared to the General Prosecution; which decided to extend my detention for another 48 hours, after that I was interrogated twice on Friday and Saturday; each session lasted for one hour and were about my work, my political affiliation and my relation to some people.”
“I was later released on 2000 Jordanian Dinars bail, yet they asked me to go to the intelligence service headquarters on 23/7, when I went they gave me back my ID but my cellphone is still with them.” He added.
8/7- The Israeli Occupation Forces detained the freelance cameraman Osaid Amarne (30 Y.O) and Trans Media cameraman Muath Amarne while they were filming the traffic jam near Za’tara checkpoint south of Nablus city. Osaid reported to MADA: “My colleague Muath and I were in Nablus to film an episode for Al-Quds TV, when we arrived to Za’tara checkpoint; we faced traffic jam so we started filming it. As a result, the IOF detained us for two hours, and before we were released, they asked us to sign a paper which says that we were detained because we were filming, but we refused. On the other hand, we signed another paper which says that no one beat or assaulted us.”
10/7- Saraya Al-Quds (the military wing of Al-Jihad Al-Islami) in Gaza assaulted Al-Risala Media Organization photographer Mahmoud Abu Hasira (27 Y.O) and forced him to delete the photos on his camera. He reported to MADA: “On Friday 10/7 I was photographing Jerusalem International Day in Gaza; where there were political parties leaders I photographed as well.”
“During the speeches some of Al-Jihad Al-Islami members tried to stand at the platform holding their flags; there, where the one of the other parties leader asked them to take their flags down according to what all the parties agreed on before the event.” He said.
Abu Hasira added: “I was taking photos of all what was happening like all the other journalists; when a member of Saraya Al-Quds attacked me and tried to break my camera, they dragged me behind the platform, threatened me and told me to delete all the photos otherwise they will break my camera. At the beginning I refused to obey their orders, and as a result one of them beat me in my chest and I stood between 4 people who forced me to delete all the photos under threats.”
In another testimony taken from Abu Hasira on 21/7 he said: “A delegation from Al-Jihad Al-Islami came to the institute’s headquarters, I met them in the presence of the chef editor Mr. Rami Kharis and the General Director Mr. Wissam Afifa, they apologized for the assault I was subjected to.”
13/7- The Palestinian Intelligence Service arrested and interrogated the anchor at Al-Hurriya Radio Station Ra’ed Al-Sharif (26 Y.O) from Hebron city. He reported to MADA: “I received a phone call from the intelligence service telling me to go to their headquarters. I went there and they seized my ID and my cellphones, then they put me in the interrogation room from 2:30 until 6:30 without talking to me. Later, the officer came and started interrogating me about something I posted on Facebook 20 days ago about “informers” (people who work with the service) and their work, and why did I wrote this.”
He added;: “I told them that the informers deliver wrong information and many journalists are being summoned according to these wrong information. Then the officer asked me about things I do not have anything to do with.
After an hour of interrogation, they took me to the medical service to eximine my heath condition as a preparation to arrest me, then they sent me back to the detention room The Journalist Syndicate and Fatah Organization interfered “the radio director is affiliated to Fatah” I was released at 1:00 after signing my testimony and I was told to return on 22/7.”
He added: “Since the director of the Palestinian Prisoners Club and my uncle (who are friends with the officer) the summon was canceled.”
21/7- The Police spokesman in Gaza threatened the journalist at Sawt Al-Sha’b radio Ahmad Abu Daqqa for what he broadcasts in his program. Abu Daqqa reported to MADA: “On Tuesday 21/7 I was supposed to be on Air for “Nabd Al-Balad (the pulse of the country)” program, the episode was about killing crimes and I had organized with my guests: the social worker Jamil Al-Tahrawi, Mohammad Abu Azzam who is a Mukhtar (Head of a village or a clan) and the police spokesperson Ayman Al-Butenji, those came to the studio except the police spokesperson.”
He added: “When I called Al-Butenji telling him that we will call him On Air to take his opinion he started yelling at me saying: people are complaining against you, do not you want to stop making troubles?.. I will hang you and I know how to deal with you, I told him that this way of talking is not appropriate, he replied with : It is my fault that I am talking to you now and he hanged on the phone.
Abu Daqqa said: “My colleagues were around when I was speaking with him on phone, therefore; the radio’s director Hasan Jaber called him back and the officer said that he will come and apologize. When the program started I mentioned his threats on air; which provoked him and he did not come to apologize. The radio station is now formally following up with the subject.”
21/7- The Military intelligence service in Tulkarem city (north West Bank) summoned the editor at Al-Fajr Al-Jadeed TV Sami Al-Sai (36 Y.O) for a post he put on Facebook. Al-Sai reported to MADA: “On 21/7 I received a phone call telling me to go to the military intelligence service in Tulkarem. The phone call was received after I posted something in Facebook about security men selling gasoline coupons which are specified for official missions only.”
Al-Sai added: “I went to their headquarters the next day, the director of police who wanted to know in a friendly way the name of the police officer who sells the coupon and the driver who bought it. I told him that I bought the coupon for 100 Shekels from a person who bought it from the driver (who works at Ramallah- Nablus line) and that we do not know him, then he asked me to go with him to Nablus so that I would recognize the driver by his face but I refused.”
He said: “I offered them to give the coupon after 1 hour argument, because I feared my brother who has high police rank could be hurt.”
“At the same day evening I received a phone call from the director of Criminal Investigation in Tulkarem and who is a good friend of mine; asking me about the name of the driver who sold me the coupon, trying in a friendly way to solve the problem. Even though I refused his request; no one of the security forces harmed or talked to me after that phone call, and later I knew that they knew both the police officer and the driver.”
Photo showing the attack on Ro’ya TV Crew near Jaba’ (By Mohammad Turkman)
