MADA, Ramallah: The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) wrapped up on Thursday 6/11/2014 three days training workshop for lawyers on the subject of freedom of expression. This training course was conducted in cooperation with the Palestinian Bar Association in Gaza in the framework of the EU-funded project “Defending Freedom of Expression and Opinion through a Healthy Legal Environment” implemented by MADA.

The workshop was opened by Mr. Salama Bseisso, vice-president of the Bar Association, assistant secretary general of the Arab Union of Lawyers. He thanked MADA for organizing this important event which he said contributes to enhancing lawyers’ knowledge of freedom of expression and the Palestinian law related to the media. He emphasized that the Bar Association is committed to raising the knowledge of its members, including trainees and employees, on the issue.

Then MADA’s coordinator in Gaza Dr. Ahmad Hammad presented MADA’s programs and activities. He mentioned in particular the project “Defending Freedom of Expression and Opinion through a Healthy Legal Environment” that MADA has been implementing since the beginning of 2014 thanks to the financial support of the European Union (EU).

MADA’s lawyer in Gaza Mr. Karem Nashwan explained that the workshop aimed to raise the lawyers’ awareness on the national and international legal framework regarding freedom of expression and access to information, and to provide them with the legal tools to increase freedom of expression and address media violations.

The workshop tackled international and national concepts of freedom of expression, the status of media freedoms in Palestine, and the negative impacts of violations against freedom of expression on the media and the development of the society in general. The legislative framework related to the media in Palestine (the Publishing and Printing law) and the legal and constitutional standards for freedom of expression were explained to the audience, as well as the draft laws related to the Right to Access Information, the Higher Media Council, and the Audiovisual sector.

The penal law related to freedom of expression was also introduced, with emphasis on the concepts of denigration, slander, libel, violation of public decency and morals, and violation of others' dignity. Some practical cases were presented and discussed.

The workshop was attended by 20 lawyers and trainees who received certificates at the end. The trainers were Dr. Zuhair Abed, Dr. Abdulqader Jarada and Dr. Saher Al-Waleed.