Save the life of journalist Mohammad Qaiq
Ramallah- (8/2/2016): The first month of the year 2016 witnessed a remarkable decline in the number of violations against media freedoms in Palestine compared to the violations in particular the Israeli that were recorded during the previous month (December 2015) . The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms “MADA” monitored a total of 26 violations during January 2016, of which were 13 committed by Israel and 13 committed by the Palestinian side. This number is considered much lower compared to the number monitored during the last month of the year 2015, which were 63 violations in total.
The Israeli Violations:
The Israeli Occupation forces (IOF) committed a total of 13 violations against media freedoms during the month of January 2016. Revolving around critical violations, notably two journalists were shot and wounded while covering events in the West Bank, whereas two other journalists were arrested.
Palestine T.V reporter, Anal Bassem Al Gada’, was wounded by an Israeli bullet in Qalqilya while covering the weekly demonstration in Kufar Kaddoum on the 1st of January. Moreover, the Israeli soldiers aimed rubber bullets and tear gas at freelance photographer, Mahmoud abu Yousef while covering a demonstration in Sa’ir in the governorate of Hebron on the 9th of January. In addition to that, an Israeli force raided the house of “Alquds News” network reporter, Mus’ab Tamimi, in Hebron on the 11th of January, interrogated him, summoned and threatened him claiming his transfer of false news. Furthermore, on the 12th of January the Israeli army arrested the “Palestine Today” channel’s reporter, the journalist Mujahed al Sa’di, in Jenin after raiding his house, whilst the Israeli soldiers located on the checkpoint at the entrance of Aljeeb village northwest of Jerusalem assaulted the journalist Amjad Hussein producer of Ma’ al Nas (With People) program broadcasted by “Raya FM” Radio on the 13th of January.
Reporter of “Palestine Post” network, Safiya Kawar, was wounded by a bullet in the foot fired by Israeli soldiers while covering events in Bethlehem on the 15th of January, whereas the Israeli authority deprived the journalist of “ Prospects of Environment and Development”, Anas Ali Dar Abed from travelling to Jordan on the 22nd of January. However, on the 31st of January, the Israeli forces arrested Mahmoud al Qaqasmi, sport’s program presenter in Hebron’s radio from his house in the city of Hebron.
The Palestinian Violations:
13 Palestinian violations against media freedoms were monitored during January 2016, of which 9 occurred in the West Bank and 4 in Gaza Strip. As the internal security forces in Gaza arrested Ayman Aloul, reporter of AlFurat Iraqi Channel and Deutsche Welle, from his house on the 2nd of January.
The preventive security forces arrested the freelance journalist Abdullah Mahmoud Bani Odeh from Tammoun in Toubas governorate on the 4th of January. Mahmoud was interrogated and detained until next day, but they arrested him on the 24th of January for 3 days. On the 8th of January the preventive security forces arrested Nablus T.V director and member of board of directors at “Maan” news agency Saleem Sweidan from Nablus. Furthermore, the Palestinian Intelligence denied the “security vetting” of “Ahla FM” radio’s editorial director, the journalist Reem Al Omari, which prevents the renewal of the radio license. The new Fajr TV journalist Sami Sai’d Alsa’i was attacked more than once on the 27th of January by Palestinian security members while covering events in Nour Shams Camp in Tulkarem, and got detained after having been lead to the police station.
Recommendations:
MADA observes seriously the attempts of the Israeli occupation to silence the international press in precise Al Jazeera channel and CBS news through threats claiming their “alteration of facts and transference of news in a manner opposite to reality” while covering the incident in Bab Al Amoud, in addition to the continuous incitement against some local media especially Palestinian Public TV.
Furthermore, a new technique has been adapted as a method of pressure against Palestinian journalists. This technique is represented as an internet webpage under the name of “incitement” launched by “European Institute against incitement”. Aiming to “warn against terrorists” the (webpage) defames whom its founders classify as / instigators or engage in incitement/. The webpage published the names of 14 Palestinian journalists and their personal background information, including the names of their spouses and their mobile numbers, accusing them of incitement which puts their lives and families at risk and creates pressure on them.
Also, MADA significantly concern of the torture of journalists during their arrest such as Aloul a, and putting them under bad circumstances as happened with Sweidan.
Denying the journalist Reem Al Omari from occupying the position of editorial director for “Hala FM” radio contradicts with the Palestinian government decision, which was issued in April 2012 and states the cancellation of “Security Safety” condition for the occupation of public positions. In September of the same year the high court of justice ruled the illegality of this matter. in addition to its contribution in limiting the Palestinian female journalists in occupying leadership positions in the local media.
Moreover, MADA insists on the importance of ending the violation of journalists’ privacy by forcing them to reveal the passwords to their social networking accounts and desktops.
Although MADA praises the obvious decline in the number of violations compared to the past few months, it also condemns all violations and calls for stopping them and to respect the freedom of expression. It also urges all international organizations to intervene urgently in order to save the life of the journalist Mohammad al Qiq, who has been on a hunger strike for more than eighty days.
Violations of January 2016 in Details
(1/1)- Reporter of Palestinian Public TV, Anal Bassem Al Gada’ (26 years old), was wounded by an Israeli coated metal bullet while covering the demonstration in Kufar Kadoum. He reported to MADA saying: “On the 1st of January I was present in Kufar Kaddoum in order to cover the weekly demonstration. During my preparations to conduct field interviews I was wounded by a metal bullet coated with rubber in my right knee, and I received field treatment from the Red Crescent staff in the same place”.
(2/1)- The Journalist Ayman Ghazi Aloul (44 years old), reporter of Alfurat Iraqi channel and Deutsche Welle, was arrested from his house in Gaza by the internal security forces, who also confiscated his communication devices and personal equipment and subjected him to a tortured interrogation. Ayman’s son, Mohammad, mentioned to MADA: “My father got arrested from our house in Gaza at 5:30 P.M on Saturday (2/1/2016) by the internal security forces, after they have raided the house and confiscated two laptops belonging to my parents. They requested us to follow up with internal security headquarters in Ansar neighborhood in order to know the reasons of my father’s arrest. After receiving a phone call from the internal security forces, I went to their headquarters on the 4th of January/. The officer asked me to open the laptops as they were secured with passwords, and I do not know why he had not asked my father to open them. I opened my father’s laptop as requested, but refused to open my mother’s laptop as it contained personal pictures. I asked them to see my father and they allowed me, as long as I do not speak to him. My father’s mental state was not good and he seemed tired and fatigued. As I initially understood from the officer, my father’s Facebook posts and the hash tag “Hand in the Border” in precise, were the reason behind his arrest”.
After his release, Ayman reported to MADA: “I was held in a narrow sell until the next morning of (3/1) around nine o’clock, as I was presented to the investigator blindfolded for three hours. He accused me of being funded by an external parties (Egyptian intelligence, Jordanian intelligence, Palestinian authority, and Dahlan’s group) in order to defame the country’s and government’s image through what I share. After I got slapped from time to time, I was moved to a different and a bit wider sell that contained small chairs (ghostly room), and the officer asked me to stay there until I decide to confess. I stayed there from three o’clock in the afternoon until nine o’clock the next morning. In the next morning of (4/1) I was presented to the investigator another time and he repeated the same questions, after which I have been transformed to the military prosecutor The district attorney interrogated me with respect, and asked me to sign my statement, then they took me back to the internal security. The internal security accused me of duplication of work (as I used to work for the National Security Forces). according to the law ruled in 1936 claiming that I work for the national security forces beside my work as a journalist. Finally, they accused me with extorting Hamas (as I joked with my colleague a week ago during my interview at Alaqsa channel asking him to /give me money in order to stay silent/), and they returned me to the sell after that”.
He added: “I got slapped each time during the interrogation, and I did not see any of them (investigators). On Thursday the 9th of January, and on Sunday the 10th of January the investigator came and took my final statement and asked me to sign it after reading it. On the next day (Monday 11th of January) the chief officer came and was very friendly with me and informed me that I will be released today. I was released at around two o’clock at noon after signing a written pledge and committing to recheck with the headquarters on the 25th of January. My devices were confiscated until Tuesday the 13th of January, as I went to recollect them but received my mobile only whereas the laptops remained confiscated”.
Ayman added in a subsequent statement: “I went to the internal security headquarters on the set date of 25th January to do the recheck. I stayed there for approximately three hours and it was a normal chat. They asked me to continue with my posts on Facebook /but moderately/, because I was seen as “oppressed” by the public opinion. They also gave me back the laptops on the 1st of February”.
(4/1)- The preventive security forces arrested the freelance journalist Abdullah Mahmoud Bani Odeh (26 years old) from Tammoun in Toubas governorate. Bani Odeh reported to MADA saying: “On nine o’clock in the evening of the 4th of January I received a phone call from the preventive security forces, and half an hour later the force came and took me to the preventive security headquarters in Toubas. I have been interrogated based on confidential reports they received, which accused me of owning /secretive correspondence in relation to the current Intifada/. They wanted to know the sender of the correspondences and their contents. I denied and I was released the next day (5th of January) in the afternoon”.
(8/1)- The preventive security forces arrested Saleem Sweidan, the director of Nablus T.V and member of board of directors at Maan news network, from Nablus for the sake of publishing news on the website and Facebook page of Nablus T.V. Sweidan was released after four days by a judicial guarantee until the court is hold in March. His brother, Anees Sweiden reported to MADA: “The preventive security forces summoned my brother Saleem on Friday the 8th of January to their headquarters in Nablus and he was arrested from there. On the 10th of January his detention was extended for another 24 hours at the attorney’s general office apprehension. publishing articles harmful to Palestinian National Unity, as well as assaulting Palestinian national unity, incitement, as well as inciting sectarian conflicts, in addition to verbal abuse and contempt. The reason behind all these charges was that one of the T.V staff published news (cited by Watan Agency) on the website and Facebook page of the T.V saying that the preventive security system contributed in the arrest of Hamas cell, which was accused of the implementation of an operation two months ago”.
He also added: “The preventive security forces banned the Facebook page and forced Saleem to change the password”. Saleem’s lawyer, Mohammad Sakf Alhet informed us that: “Yesterday, the 11th of January, Sweidan’s detention has been extended another 10 days in custody”. And then he added: “Reconciliation took place (between the complainant and the defendant Saleem Sweidan) and today the 12th of January he is released”.
After his release, Saleem said: “I got released yesterday the 12th of January after my detention for 4 days. During the first day, I have been held for 5 hours under bad condition, which have differed completely in the next days as a result of external pressure probably”.
Sweidan explained: “They interrogated me three times during the first day trying to obtain information about the source of the news that was published on Nablus T.V. They also asked me questions about my relationship with Hamas. The Interrogation was absurd and I was held after that without any interrogation. He added: “I was released by a judicial guarantee worth 1000 Jordanian Dinars until the court is held on 12/3/2015”.
(9/1)- The IOF aimed rubber bullets and gas bombs on freelance photographer Mohammad Yousef Abu Yousef (31 years old), while covering a demonstration in Si’er in Hebron governorate. Abu Yoused added: “I was present in Beit Ainon at the southern entrance of Si’er, in order to cover the funeral ceremony of the four martyrs. Subsequently, sudden clashes flared so I went up to the roof of one of the buildings, and while I was filming there and after the demonstrators came closer to the building, I was exposed to at least 7 gas bombs, which made me wear the respirator. After that I was aimed at with rubber bullets directly, so I lied on the ground and whenever I rose up my head the soldiers would shoot rubber bullets in my directions. One of the rubber bullets hit the tripod and led to its flexion”.
(11/1)- The IOF raided the house of Alquds news network reporter Mus’ab Abdulsamad Tamimi (25 years old) in Hebron. Mus’ab was interrogated and was asked to recheck with the intelligence. He reported: “At around two o’clock in the morning of the 1th of January, an Israeli troops (15 soldiers) raided the house in Keizon district east from Hebron, after they have destroye the main door of the house. They asked for my I.D, interrogated me for half an hour about publishing false news of the current incidents. They handed me in a notice in order to go to the Israeli intelligence headquarters in Hebron on Wednesday the 13th of January. On Wednesday morning I received a phone call from the intelligence service to inform me about changing the summon location to Etzion’s center in Bethlehem. When I went to there, I was interrogated for three times for mainly the same accusation which is the incitement through the publishing of /false news/ on social media. My response was that I publish the news just as it is, therefore they threatened me to arrest me if I continue the incitement and covering the events in the same way”.
(12/1)- The IO Farrested the “Palestine Today” TV reporter in Jenin, Mujahed Mohammad Alsa’di (28 years old) after raiding his house, searching it, and confiscating some of his personal equipment. Mujahed’s wife, Raya Zakarneh, reported to MADA: “At four o’clock on the 12th of January the Israeli forces broke into our house in Jenin, as the soldiers broke the doors and entered the house before we even get the chance to open the door. They interrogated Mujahed for ten minutes”. She added: “They also searched the house accurately and damaged some of its contents. They confiscated Mujahed’s laptop and external hard disk and left the house one hour later after having arrested Mujahed, and we are not informed where they have taken him to”.
On the 28th of January Alsa’di’s detention was extended for the third time in a row for 8 days on the ground of completing the interrogation at the request of the military prosecutor”.
(13/1)- The IOF located on the checkpoint at the entrance of Aljeeb village northwest of Jerusalem assaulted Amjad Hussein (25 years old) producer of Ma’ al Nas (With People) program broadcasted by “Raya FM” Radio. Hussein reported to MADA: “At 8:30 PM yesterday (13th of January) I and my brother were on our way to Beit Dukko village. When we reached the checkpoint at the entrance of Aljeeb village northwest of Jerusalem, and without a reason the Israeli soldiers pulled me out of the car and started punching me and hit me with the rifle on my back”. He elaborated further: “Meanwhile I took out my Press I.D but one of the soldiers threw it on the ground and continued hitting me even more violently which caused some mild bruises on my body. What surprised me the most was that they did not come close to my brother who was inside the car, although they have searched the car and emptied everything that was inside it. After I headed to the car they threw a flash bang grenade behind me trying to provoke me”.
(14/1)- The Palestinian Intelligence denied the “security vetting” of “Ahla FM” radio’s editorial director, Reem Al Omari, which prevents the renewal of the radio license especially after being requested by the ministry of information. Al Omari reported to MADA: “I was appointed as an editorial director at the radio one year ago. When the radio applied for a license renewal at the beginning of December last year, the ministry of information asked to have the director of radio security vetted (on the ground that in order to approve the editorial director he/she should obtain the consent of three parties: ministry of information, Security services, ministry of telecommunication and information technology), and they requested all my documents such as certificates, experience certificates, and certificate of no criminal record, although I have handed them over a year ago”.
She added: “On 14/1/2016 one of the staff at the ministry of information called the radio owner Wael Kassis and informed him about the importance of renewing the radio’s license and that /you have to change the director because she doesn’t have security approval/. I rechecked with the ministry of information questioning the matter, but the ministry took back its words and handed over the matter to the ministry of interior”. She also said: “The ministry of interior tried to argue of my Israeli I.D (I come from Jerusalem) as an argument and that I cannot occupy the position of a director in an organization that functions within the Palestinian territories, as they were not able to differentiate between the Jerusalemite I.D and the Israeli nationality. Currently, I do not have any security clearance because the Palestinian intelligence rejected me unlike the other services, because of my / speaking disrespectfully of the authority and higher officials through my morning program / Sammet Badan Al Suboh – Bad news early in the morning/. Today the 4th of February, I received a phone call from the ministry of interior in an attempt to solve the existing problem between me and the Palestinian intelligence.
(15/1)- Reporter of “Palestine Post” network, Safiya Kawar (29 years old), was wounded by a bullet in the foot fired by Israeli soldiers while covering events in Bethlehem city. Kawar reported to MADA on the 15th of January saying: “I went to cover the clashes (between the youth and Israeli soldiers) at Rachel’s tomb in Bethlehem. As soon as I arrived and took the first two photos I was aimed at with /live fire bullet/ that shot my three right toes. I was carried by an ambulance to Beit Jala’s public hospital to receive treatment”.
(22/1)- The Israeli authority prevented the journalist in “Prospects of Environment and Development”, Anas Ali Dar Abed (31 years old) from travelling to Jordan. Abed informed MADA that he went to the Karameh border in the morning of 22/1 and after handing in his passport at 8 in the morning, he was held until 3 in the afternoon until an Israeli soldier came and asked him some questions about himself and informed him that he is denied from travelling on ground of “security denial” and that he needs to assign a lawyer for this matter.
(24/1)- The Palestinian intelligence service arrested the freelance journalist Abdullah Mahmoumd Bani Odeh (26 years old) from Tammoun in Toubas after 3 weeks of his detention by the preventive security forces. Bani Odeh said: “I was arrested once more on the 24th of January at around 9:30 pm from my house in Tammoun in an aggressive manner. The arrest procedure included hitting and verbal abuse as I was led to the intelligence investigation center in Toubas. At the investigation center I was held in a sell under bad conditions and in severe cold and my detention lasted three days. I have been interrogated more than once because of my posts of Facebook, which were considered inciting. I was also investigated about my activities at the university and I was accused of lying for every answer I gave in addition to getting slapped or kicked. I was released after three days on the 27th of January”.
(27/1)- Palestinian security personnel attacked Alfajr T.V journalist Sami Sa’id Alsa’i while covering the incidents in Nour Shams camp in Tulkarem. Sami was arrested after being led to the police station and after confiscating his camera’s memory card. Sami reported to MADA: “Yesterday (27/1/2016) at around eight thirty, me and my colleagues the photographers Ala’ Aljallad and Abdullah Aref headed to cover the clashes in Nour Shams camp in Tulkarem. The clashes took place between security personnel and camp youth (concerning the continuous electricity outage). During the coverage I was close to the national security forces and I talked to a few of them as they were my friends. All of a sudden, five covered individuals wearing military uniforms from the anti-riot squad attacked me and started beating and humiliating me for prohibited photo shooting. They tried to pull me towards the police patrol specialized for anti-riot, and they tried to take away my camera, which I gave to driver of the patrol as he is my friend and I know him”.
Alsa’i added: “They continued beating me even after they knew that I was a journalist. I was even transferred to the police headquarters in Tulkarem where someone punched me in the face while going down from the patrol, although my hands were tied , the same person kicked me on my back (all this took place at the police station) in front of chief deputy of Tulkarem’s police Mohammad Abu Bakr, and the city’s police chief Abu Afif Muhanna. The Deputy even asked them not to touch me”.
He said: “After that I was transferred to Tulkarem’s investigation center (located in the same building of the police) and there they held me for three hours, after which I was moved to deputy of police chief’s office where I found a group of my colleagues from Alfajr T.V. After a verbal altercation I found out that they (police and security) do not want me to cover the incidents claiming that I am /provocative/ and that my presence is not acceptable for them. They also claimed that they did not know that I was a journalist although I was wearing my badge. Moreover, they did not prevent me from filming and did not warn me and did not even ask for my I.D. The problem ended by returning the camera after confiscating the memory card that contains all the photos”.
I received a phone call last night from the representative of the National security forces Colonel Hafeth Alrifa’i, who expressed his regrets about what had happened and promised to speak on air today morning in order to apologize. However, his circumstances did not allow him to speak on air this morning”.
(31/1)-The IOF arrested the producer of sports program at Hebron’s radio Khalil Mahmoud Fathi Alkawasmi (26 years old). Fathi’s father reported to MADA: “Last night (31/1) the Israeli forces broke into our house in Hebron at one o’clock after midnight. The forces was led by and Israeli officer who introduced himself as /Captain Adeeb/. After the captain has entered the house carrying a personal photo of Mahmoud, he asked about him, entered his room and arrested him after confiscating his mobile and without searching the rest of the house”.
(On Tuesday 2nd of February Alkawasmi’s detention was extended for another 11 days pending investigation).
