Al-Ayyam Prevention from distribution in Gaza is dangerous precedent, and the
arrest of journalist"s ongoing phenomenon in West Bank
Last month witnessed many media freedoms violations, in Palestinian territories, by Israeli and Palestinian parties.
In a dangerous precedent, the first of its kind, a Palestinian court in Gaza, decided to prevent issuance and distribution of the Al-Ayyam newspaper, which is headquartered in Ramallah, in addition to fine and imprisonment of its chief editor Akram Haniyeh, caricature artist Baha Al-Bukhari.
Department of Public Prosecutions in Gaza issued an order to arrest Al-Hayat Al-Jadida chief editor Hafez Al-Barghuti, in the context of the actions taken against the newspaper in the last three months, which also had included the arrest of columnist Omar Ghoul, the director of its office in Gaza Muneer Abu Rizk Gaza.
It appears that these measures are a response to Felesteen and Al-Resalah newspapers prevention issued in Gaza Strip, from printing and distribution in West Bank since the fourteenth of last June.
The security services in the West Bank arrested journalists Mustafa Sabri, Khaled Ma"ali, and Khalil Mabrouk, also interrogate journalist Khalid Amayreh.
The actions against a number of journalists and media outlets in West Bank and Gaza Strip comes in the context of ongoing conflict between Fatah and Hamas, which is still in addition to the occupation practices, cast dark shadow on the freedom of opinion and expression in Palestinian territories.
Israeli occupation forces continued its violations of media freedoms in Palestinian territories, where they attacked journalists Hazem Al Belaidi and a Mo"een Shadeed, injured Imad Bernat, arrested journalist Jihad Shehada, and prevented journalists from media coverage of the clashes between a group of people of the village of Beit Fajjar and the occupation soldiers after of the village raid.
We consider the document issued by the Arab information ministers to regulate satellite channels broadcasting on February, a new attempt by Arab regimes to limit the freedoms of media and a serious encroachment on freedom of opinion and expression in the Arab world, the Arab satellite channels, especially the news ones had contributed significantly and positively on the Arab media scene, opened vast prospects to the free flow and circulation of information, and opened wide window to the political forces and civil society organizations to express their positions, that are not usually covered by the official media.
Palestinian Center for Development & Media Freedom (Mada) expresses condemnation all attacks on journalists committed by Israeli occupation forces and Palestinian parties and:
• Demands Ismail Haniya dismissed Government and Salam Fayyad Government to cease actions against journalists and media outlets, to allow them to carry out their work freely and safely.
• Demands the Arab summit which will convene in the end of march to retract from satellite channels broadcasting chart, particularly the items that pose a threat to freedom of opinion and expression, and calls on the Palestinian Authority to non-compliance of it.
• Calls on media and civil society organizations, to move seriously to put pressure on the Arab summit to retract from the chart.
• Calls on the international community to put pressure on the Israeli government to stop its aggressions on the Palestinian journalists.
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Monthly Summary Report
(February 7) - Journalist Mustafa Sabri was arrested by Palestinian security service, he was released after five days of detention without any charges.
)February 10) – Group of journalists were prevented from covering clashes between residents of Beit Fajjar village (Bethlehem) and Israeli occupation soldiers after raiding it.
(February 11) - Ministry of Interior of the dismissed Government prevented Al-Ayyam newspaper from distribution in Gaza Strip, based on the Magistrates Court decision of banning issuance, printing and distribution of the newspaper, and imprisonment and a fine of its chief editor Akram Haniyeh, caricature artist Baha Al-Bukhari,due to “involvement in many legal violations, defamation and slander against Legislative Council members", on the grounds that Al-Bukhari publish in the newspaper caricature at the beginning of last November, about meeting of the Legislative Council in Gaza city on the previous day, and wrote beneath it (illegality ). Al-Ayyam published clarification of its position regarding the caricature and that (illegality) is not aimed at the Legislative Council, but to its meeting which was held the previous day of the caricature publishing, in addition to publishing the response of the Council presidency.
(February 12) - Public Prosecutor"s Office in Gaza city issued decision to arrest of Al-Hayat Al-Jadida chief editor Hafez al-Barghuthi, based on Ministry of Information of the dismissed Government Undersecretary Dr. Hasan Abu Hashish complaint against the newspaper, in pretext of violating Printing and Publication Law.
(February 13) - Palestine public TV reporter Mo"een Shadeed, and Bal Media cameraman Hazem Al Belaidi were attacked by Israeli occupation forces, they also damaged Al Belaidi camera and confiscated the video, at aljarousheya checkpoint north of Tulkarm city (West Bank), while they were coving a patient passing the checkpoint on his wheel chair, where occupation soldiers prevented him from passing by car.
(February 15) - Freelance cameraman Imad Bernat was injured by rubber bullet in his ear, by Israeli occupation forces, which opened fire at him deliberately, two bullets hit his camera and damaged it, during his coverage of the weekly march against the apartheid wall, in Bil"in village )Ramallah).
(February 14) - Al-Sahl Press Office Director Khalid Ma"ali in Salfit city (West Bank), was arrested by Palestinian intelligence service, in pretext of publishing a report on a newspaper website, and later appeared that he had nothing to do with it, he had been released two days later.
(February 20) – Freelance journalist Khalil Mabrouk was arrested from his home in Nablus city (West Bank), by the Palestinian intelligence service.
(February 24) - Al-Ahram Weekly magazine correspondent Khaled Amayreh, was summoned by Palestinian intelligence service in Hebron city (West Bank), he was questioned for two hours, mainly about his initiative to conclude armistice between Israel and Hamas, on the beginning of February
(February 26) - Albian press office director in Salfit city Jihad Shehada was arrested, by Israeli occupation forces, on Zaa"trah checkpoint south of Nablus city.
