Mada calls for cessation of attacks on Palestinian journalists and respecting freedom of opinion and expression

Violation of media freedoms in the Palestinian territories continued in the first month of the new year, by Israeli occupation forces , the worst of them was the detention of three journalists (Iyad Hamad, Monther Jaddou, Fadi Hamad) in a shop for about seven hours, during which they were prevented from leaving even , and preventing the entry of Palestinian newspapers issued in West Bank in Gaza Strip, when they imposed a comprehensive siege on it on 17 of last January, in flagrant breach of all international laws, charters and humanitarian values, transforming Gaza Strip into the biggest prison in the world, comprising a bout million and a half people.

The security agencies either of Palestinian Authority or Hamas dismissed government, also continued violations of media freedoms, more serious ones were the arrest of Gaza Strip Office Director of Al-Hayat Al-Jeddah newspaper Muneer Abu Rizeq (he was released on the fourth of this month) ,and the continued detention of columnist Omar Ghoul since the fourteenth of last December, in Gaza Strip, (He was released on the first of this month), security services in west bank continued chasing of journalists suspected of work with pro-Hamas media, such as Mohammad Ishtewi, who was Aqsa TV office director in West Bank, Sawt Al-Aqsa Radio correspondent Tariq Shehab, and Felesteen newspaper correspondent Saleem Tayeh.

The banning of peaceful gathering and the attacks on the participants on them continued, as happened with the ban of Fatah Movement anniversary celebrations in Gaza Strip, and march against the USA President George Bush visit, in Ramallah city, that’s conceders flagrant violation of pubic liberties and freedom of opinion and expression, which is guaranteed by Palestinian Basic Law.

Mada also express concern over the rejection of Palestinian Public Television, to broadcast program about state of public freedoms in Palestine, prepared and submitted by Falesteeneyat org., and sponsored by UNESCO office, on the fourteenth of last month, and consider it as violation of freedom of opinion and expression, and self -censorship which is harmful of the TV credibility .
Mada condemns all attacks on journalists, welcome the release of our colleagues Omar Ghoul, and Muneer Abu Rizeq.
Mada renews call to all Palestinian parties to stop journalists arrest policy, to respect freedom of opinion and expression, and calls on the international community to exercise more pressure on the of Israel Government to halt its violations of media freedoms in the Palestinian territories, stop its siege of the Gaza Strip, which is considered a flagrant violation of the most basic human rights.
———

Monthly Summary Report

(Jan.5) - Sawt Al-Aqsa Radio correspondent Tariq Shehab, and journalist Muhammad Ishtewi, who was Aqsa TV director office in West Bank before banning it by the Palestinian Authority, were arrested by Palestinian security services in Tulkarem city(West Bank), after Aqsa TV published news about the transfer of three Hamas detainees in Tulkarm to the hospital after being subjected to torture by security services, they were released after three days. Ishtewi was arrested on the second of last July by Palestinian security services, armed men opened fire at his office in XIII of last June, his office was closed by the governor of the city on the fifth of September

(Jan. 7) –Palestinian Governmental Information Center headquarters was invaded, by unknown assailants in Gaza city, they theft computers, printers and cameras.

(Jan. 9) - Felesteen newspaper correspondent Saleem Tayeh was arrested in Tulkarem, after he was summoned by the Palestinian security service to investigation. Felesteen newspaper was banned from printing and distribution in the West Bank, since the fourteenth of last June.

(Jan.11) - Al-Quds radio, and Sawt Al-Aqsa radio (local radios in Gaza City), airwaves were penetrated by Israeli army, who broadcasted a statement, threatened all who produce or launch missiles at Israel. Sawt Al-Najah Radio (Voice of success) and Nablus local TV airwaves, in Nablus city, were penetrated by Israeli army in February 25,2007.

(Jan.13) - Al-Hayat Al-Jeddah newspaper Office Director Muneer Abu Rizeq house, in Gaza city, was sieged by the executive force, in attempt to arrest him but, the intervention of journalists and citizens who were in the place preventing them from storming it , he was asked to surrender himself to them.

(Jan.14) - Al-Hayat Al-Jeddah newspaper office was raided in Gaza City was raided by the executive force in a new attempt to arrest its Director Muneer Abu Rizeq, who was absent, so with they arrested his two brothers (Sayed and Moa"en, to pressure him to surrender himself to them, they were released on the same day.

(Jan.15) - Office Director of Al-Hayat Al-Jeddah newspaper Muneer Abu Rizeq, was arrested by the executive force, in Gaza City, when he was going to surrender himself to them.

(Jan.17) - France Press Agency photographer Hazem Bader was injured in his left foot by stone, during his coverage of clashes between Palestinian youths and Israeli occupation forces, in which they fired tear gas grenades and rubber bullets at youths, while the youths threw stones
At soldiers, in Hebron city (West Bank).

(Jan.28) - ANN TV correspondent Munther Jaddou, Associated Press photographer Iyad Hamad, Bal Media Agency cameraman Fadi Hamad and seven citizens, were detained for about seven hours in a shop in Bethlehem city, by Israeli occupation forces, during which they were prevented from leaving , the store is located opposite Mohammed Abdah house , which was surrounded by soldiers in attempt to arrest him, (they accuses him of Islamic Jihad leadership in Bethlehem city), they prevented journalists from covering the operation in pretext it is closed military zone, and fired bullets towards them and towards citizens, which led to the martyrdom of the child Qusai Mandarin and injuring a number of other citizens