The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms convened its annual meeting in Ramallah yesterday.

 Chairman, Dr. Ghazi Hanania opened the meeting and emphasized the importance of the periodically regular work of the MADAassembly.

He pointed the different achievements that MADA has accomplished last year, especially its great effort in defending journalists and exposing the violations against them, as well as promoting of freedom of expression, access to Information law, which has noticeably uplifted during the last year, when the Anti-Corruption committee and the General Secretariat of the Ministers Council have formed a committee to discuss the law draft. The committee based its work on the that MADA law draft which was prepared after a series of workshops, meetings and conferences in participation of civil society associations, governmental bodies and experts. Later on, Mr. Rafiq Al Natshe has delivered the new law draft that was approved by the committee to the Prime Minister Dr. Rami Al Hamdallah.

Dr. Hanania added that the center’s credibility was enhanced and its cooperation with local and international  bodies and organizations was developed, especially with the European Union. MADA has signed a contract with EU in December last year to implement a project “Defending Freedom of Expression and Opinion in a Healthy Legal Environment”. The center shows its great efforts to afford healthy legal environment that allows to develop the Palestinian media and enhance freedom of expression.

 Dr. Hanania thanked all the local partners of MADA and all those who collaborated with the center from  civil society organizations, governmental bodies and academic institutions, as well as all MADAs friends and its international partners, especially Open Society Foundations, UNESCO office in Ramallah, the European Union and the IFEX.

The general director of MADA, Mr. Mousa  Rimawi, presented the administrative report. Mr. Rimawi said that MADA has continued its efforts during the last year in defending media freedoms and  media development, through its four programs: Monitoring and Documentation program, Legal Aid program, Advocacy and Support program and Media Development program. MADA published tens of press releases and monthly reports about violations against media freedoms status in Palestine, as well as the annual report, biannual report and the special report on internet and freedom of expression in Palestine.

He added that the center continuously defended journalist who were assaulted and violated because because of their expressing their opinions. MADA also offered free legal consultancy related to their duties as journalists, the center also launched campaigns to promote freedom of expression, the right to access information and to  end impunity. In addition to MADAs communications with international organizations and networks who interested in freedom of opinion and expression.

Mr. Rimawi also mentioned that the most serious challenge is the continuous attacks against journalists,committed by many parties especially the Israeli occupation forces where many journalists were injured via bullets, teargas bombs or stun grenades, which put their lives in serious danger.

The treasurer Mr. Saleh Hakawati presented the centers  financial report, in the presence of the external auditing  Mr. Nabeel zaidan from Harvard for Accounting & Auditing& Tax Servese .

The members discussed and approved both the administrative and financial reports, and elected the new administrative council : Dr. Ghazi Hanania :chairman, Mr. Taleb Awad :vice chairman, Saleh Hakawati :treasurer, Majed Al Arouri: secretary, Lubna Al Ashqar, Sana Aranki, Nahed Abu Taime, Nihad Abu Ghoush and Huiseen Shabaneh.