MADA and Al Quds University, and with the support of the European Union, held a meet on media freedoms in Palestine and the working condition of Jerusalemite journalists
Ramallah 6/5/2015– the Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) in collaboration with AlQuds University and “Hona Alquds” network for Social Media held a meet on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day to discuss media freedoms in Palestine.
The meet was held at the Center for Jerusalem Studies in the old city of Jerusalem, and was attended by the Head of the European Union Delegation Mr. John Gatt-Rutter, Former Palestinian minister and The Vice President of the University Dr. Safaa Nasir Aldin, Mrs. Lucy Nusseibeh the Director-General of the Institute of Modern Media at Al Quds University, and a crowd of Jerusalemite journalists, and it focused on the reality of media freedoms, and the violations and obstacles faced by journalists, MADA also screened its documentary film "Journalists Under Fire" telling the harsh condition faced by journalists in Gaza during the recent war on the Gaza Strip.
A photo exhibition that captured some of the attacks on journalists in Jerusalem was opened, and will last for 4 days at the center, and then it will be moved to the different educational centers of Alquds University.
MADA’s board member Mr. Nihad Abu Ghosh presented data and statistics prepared by MADA on the reality of freedom of expression and violations against journalists in the Palestinian territories, and explained that violations escalate on an ongoing basis and that last year 2014 was the worst and a bloody year for Palestinian journalists, it witnessed the worst crimes and violations against journalists.
Abu Ghosh stated that last year the media freedoms violations in Palestine increased with about 108 violations comparing to 2013, in 2014 MADA monitored 465 violations, committed 351 violation were committed by the Israeli Occupation Forces “about 75% of the total number of violations”, which included the killing of 17 journalists and media workers. The Palestinian sides committed 114 violations “25%”.
Abu Ghosh also stated that: “the violations committed by the IOF represent 44% equivalent to about 44% of its total violations during the past 6 years, while the Palestinian violations against media freedoms also witnessed a rise equivalent to 46% where in 2013 MADA monitored 78 violations compared to 114 in 2014.
In regards to the constant attacks on journalists in Jerusalem, Abu Ghosh said that "Jerusalem occupies first place among the various Palestinian districts in terms of the number of Israeli violations against journalists and the media, and that “the attacks on journalists in Jerusalem over the past years has doubled several times and reached its peak in 2014”. He also explained that the number of Israeli violations against media freedoms rose from 16 in 2008 to 79 in 2014.
He said: “While the occupation forces committed a total of 48 violation in 2014 against media freedoms in Nablus and Hebron combined (two of the largest districts in the West) the number of violations that have been monitored against journalists and media freedoms in Jerusalem has reached 79 violation, that is more than the total number of violations committed in the biggest provinces in the West by about 65%”.
Abu Ghosh reflected on the 1st three months of 2015, which has been witnessing very negative changes, with 73 violations monitored in Gaza and the West Bank, the IOF committed 42 of them, including 10 in Jerusalem, while Palestinian’s committed 31 violations so far.
The head of the European Union delegation in Palestine, Mr. John Gatt-Rutter talked about the importance of freedom of opinion and expression, and how protecting it is a difficult and daily fight, even in Europe, stressing the role of media freedoms in promoting it. Mr. Gatt-Rutter also talked about the role of the EU in Palestine is to help establish institutions that protect and preserve these freedoms.
Dr. Safaa Nasir Aldin pointed to the continuation of the series of attacks on media freedoms in the Palestinian territories and preventing the freedom of movement, and she emphasized the necessity of activating the move on various squares, especially Internationally, for the application of the slogan, which was raised by international institutions calling to prevent impunity for perpetrators of crimes and abuses, as a means to put an end to attacks on media freedoms.
Aldin added: “Alquds University main mission is freedom, Human rights, and Equality, and achieving our mission will only happen through close cooperation between the university, the media sector, and institutions that support of the rights of journalists”.
Aldin called for speeding up the enactment of laws concerning the media sector, especially the audiovisual Bill, the right of access to information, and the law of the journalists union, in view of the importance in strengthening the principle of freedom.
journalists during a panel discussion which focused on the situation of media freedoms and journalist working in Jerusalem to pay attention to the situations of journalists Jerusalem and work to develop specialized and integrated partnership between government institutions and civil society institutions.
During the open discussion segment journalists talked about the harsh condition of their work in Jerusalem, and their relations among each other, and emphasized on the need to develop specialized and integrated partnership between government institutions and civil society institutions to protect Journalists from the violations, and help develop the media sector.
