Ramallah 28th February 2014:The Executive Committee member of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and head of the Information and Culture Department D. Hanan Ashrawi, with the presence of the PLO Media Department’s director Samia Awad-Allah, welcomed a delegation from the Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA), which included General Director Mousa Rimawi and Public relations coordinator Riham Abu Aita,in her office in Ramallah,in order to discuss the status of freedom of opinion and expression in Palestine, and provide them with the latest information on the process of the Access to Information law draft.
The meeting begun with a presentation by Mr. Rimawi on the nature of MADA’s work and programs aiming to achieve the development of the Palestinian media and the promotion of freedom of opinion and expression. Rimawi also presented MADA’s work achieved during the past three years drafting an A2I law and promoting it.
D. Ashrawi welcomed the publishing of the access to information law for discussion by civil and government institutions as well for citizens, and stressed the need for consistency with international and humanity standards and laws to ensure citizen’s right to know, because it a foundational right for freedom of opinion and expression and the development of the Media’s principles of democracy and transparency. D.Ashrawi expressed her full support of the enactment of laws that are modern and civil, which reflect the principles and the status of the Palestinian state.
Both parties have agreed to cooperate on issues of common interest.Systems.
From other side ,Media Development Center at Birzeit University in collaboration with the Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms "MADA" held consultative workshop in Wednesday, discussed the draft law on the right of access to information.
The workshop was attended by Mr. Rafik Natsheh head of Anti-Corruption Commission and large number of lawyers and journalists.
