Palestinian Center for Development &Media Freedoms (Mada)
Media freedoms violations in OPT during July 2008
A lot of violations of media freedoms during July 2008
As usual, a high level of tension between Fatah and Hamas lead to an escalation of media freedom violations in the Palestinian territories in July. Palestinian security forces renewed arrests of journalists, following the suspension during June of such violations, due to the positive atmosphere caused by President Mahmoud Abbas" initiative of the national dialogue. The arrests included Al-Jazeera.net correspondents in the West Bank, Waddah Eid and Awad Rajoub, Aqsa TV cameraman Osaid Amarneh, freelance journalist Mustafa Sabri (twice), Aqsa TV correspondent A"la Titi, and editor of “Al-Ayyam" newspaper Fareed Hammad.
In addition they attacked: Agence France Press photographer Mousa Al-Sha"er, the Reuters team of Mohammed Abu Ghaneyeh, Nayef Hashlamoun, Muhammed Abu Hein, freelance photographer Najeh Hashlamoun, and the Associated Press team of Naser Alshiokhi and Iyad Hamad.
In Gaza, the security services arrested ARD German TV cameraman Sawah Abu Seif, and prevented “Al-Ayyam", “Al-Hayat Al-Jadidah" and “Alquds" newspapers from distribution in Gaza strip. They confiscated the equipment and furniture of Media Development Institute of University of Bir Zeit, and WAFA Agency, and interrogated its office director in Khan Younis, A"mer Al-Farra. They also investigated Ma"an Agency office director in Gaza Imad Eid.
As well, Israeli occupation forces continued violations of media freedoms in OPT. They arrested Al-Houra USA TV correspondent Faten Elwan, freelance journalist Mosa"ab Qatalouni, and sound technician at Ramatan Agency Ibrahim Hamad. They closed Afaq local TV and confiscated its equipment and furniture, and penetrated the broadcasting waves of three Palestinian radio stations in Gaza city.
The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (Mada) condemns all violations committed by Israeli occupation forces and the Palestinian security services. Mada demands they stop violations and respect freedom of opinion and expression, as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and calls for:
• The release of journalists held by Israel and the Palestinian National Authority.
• The cessation of attacks on the media outlets.
• Allowing the distribution of all newspapers in West Bank and Gaza Strip.
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Details of violations:
(July 1) - Freelance journalist Mustafa Sabri (41 years), was summoned by Palestinian military intelligence servicing in Qalqilya city (West Bank), Sabri said, he went to their headquarters at 1:30pm. And was questioned about his personal life, relationships, political affiliation, and the media outlets who he works with. He was released at approximately 11:30pm. It is worth mentioning that the Palestinian intelligence services arrested Sabri on May 8, and he had been summoned for questioning more than once after that date. The Israeli intelligence service also summoned him for questioning on June 5.
(July 5) - The airwaves of local radios Alwan, Alquds and Sawat A-Sha"b in Gaza city were penetrated by Israeli occupation forces, which by the Israeli army broadcasted a statement warning citizens in the Gaza Strip from approaching the border with Israel for a distance of 300 meters, otherwise it will fire at them. These attacks were repeated next day, and many times in OPT as happened on February 25, 2007, when they penetrated the airwaves of Nablus TV and Sawt Al-Najah Radio.
(July 7) - Al-Hourah USA TV correspondent Faten Elwan was arrested by the Israeli army during her coverage of a solidarity march with Nea"leen village (Ramallah). Elwan said that the occupation forces tried to prevent journalists from covering the march but they refused to leave the area due to lack of a military order declaring it a closed military area. Sound bombs were thrown towards them and especially towards her, and they arrested her during her interview with a citizen. She was assaulted and beaten by soldiers, and detained for two hours (11am-13pm), until Israeli police force came and moved her to Benjamin camp near Ramallah, where she was interrogated, then informed that she will be charged with attacking a soldier and trying to take his weapon. But they retracted this after she told them that this accusation is fabricated and she intends to submit a complaint against the soldiers who attacked her. Then she was released on bail, about 9pm.
(July 10) - Afaq local TV in Nablus city was closed by Israeli occupation forces after raiding it about 1am. The TV owner and director Issa Abu Ezz said they confiscated all its equipment and furniture, and left an order of its closure for a year on the front door. It is noteworthy that this new attack on Afaq TV is not the first one. The Israeli occupying forces raided the headquarters of the TV station, and a number of other media outlets on May 21, 2007 and had confiscated equipment and devices, and the attack was repeated on December.12
(July 15) - Freelance journalist Musa"ab Hosam Qatalouni (25 years) was arrested by Israeli occupation forces, after they raided his family house in Nablus city. Qatalouni said that the soldiers raided the house at about 1pm after loud knocks on the front door. They searched the house, and confiscated a computer and documents, and then arrested him and his father (member of Nablus municipality council). He has been transferred to Hiwarah military camp, where he was questioned for two hours about his journalistic work and social life, and was released at 8pm. Qatalouni was released last May after a detention lasting 77 days by the Palestinian Intelligence Service.
(July 15) - Ramatan Agency sound technician Ibrahim Hamad was arrested by the Israeli occupying forces after they raided his home in Kalandia refugee camp south of Ramallah city.
(July 17) - Aqsa TV cameraman Osaid Amarneh (24 years) was arrested by the Palestinian Preventive Security Service in Bethlehem city. Amarneh said that he had been stopped in his car around 9 am and was taken to the headquarters of Preventive Security in Bethlehem city, where he was interrogated about his professional work especially with Aqsa TV. They asked him to sign a document preventing him from work with Aqsa TV but he refused, and he was released at 9pm. Amarneh had already been arrested several times by Palestinian security services, the latest being on May 15.
(July 17) - Al-Jazeera net reporter in Nablus city, Waddah Abed al-Karim Eid (24 years), was arrested by the Palestinian Preventive Security Service in Qalqilya city, after being summoned for investigation. Eid said after his release on July 23 that the investigation focused on the period of his study in the university three years ago. They asked him before his release to sign a document, stating he will not break the law, and he signed it.
(July 26) - (ARD) German TV cameraman Sawah Ismail Abu Seif (42 years), was arrested by security forces in Gaza. His son Mohammed said that a group of masked armed men wearing uniforms introduced themselves as internal security service, raided their house in Tal Alhawa neighborhood in Gaza city, at about 3am., and asked his father to go with them for questioning for ten minutes. He added that they confiscated his father"s computer and mobile, then they left the home. Abu Seif said after his release on July 31, that the investigation with him focused on his journalistic work. Abu Seif was attacked and his camera was vandalized by the Executive Force in September 7, 2007. ARD closed its office in Gaza on the previous day of his release as protest for his continued detention.
(July 26) - Freelance journalist Mustafa Sabri was arrested by the Palestinian intelligence service in Qalqilya city. Sabri said after his release the next afternoon that he was beaten by one of the officers, but they apologized to him later
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(July 26) - Palestinian News and Information Agency (WAFA) headquarters was raided by internal security forces in Gaza city. According to WAFA statement the security forces confiscated the equipment and machinery from its headquarters.
(July 26) - (WAFA) Agency office director in Khan Younis city A"mer Yehya Al-Farra (42) was investigated by security forces. Al-Farra said they had questioned him about WAFA work in Khan Younis and its office furniture. He informed them that he sent the furniture to its main headquarters in Gaza city, after that they took him to a security center and questioned him on the same subject, then released him after about fifteen minutes.
(July 26) - Center for Media Development at Bir Zeit University in Gaza city headquarters was raided by the internal security service. Its director Abdel Nasser Najjar said they confiscated the entire contents of the headquarters of furniture, equipment and training materials.
(July 27) - Gaza Centre for Information Service in Gaza city was closed by the security services. Nael Gboan, news director at the office, said a security force came to the office and asked its workers to leave it, and to hand over the keys to them. The workers obeyed the order. After that they contacted the Ministry of Interior in the dismissed government, which informed them after about half an hour that the closure was a mistake and apologized to them. The Centre provides information services to a number of television stations, such as Abu Dhabi, Fox News and Sky News.
(July 27 ( - Aqsa TV correspondent in Hebron city A"la Jaber Titi (26 years) was arrested by the security services. His father said A"la was summoned on July 24 but he did not find the officer in charge, so they asked him to return two days later. When he went after two days they detained and questioned him for about three hours at the end of the investigation, which focused on his work with the Aqsa Television. They asked him to return the next day, where was arrested. They learned about his arrest from media outlets.
(July 27) - The three daily newspapers ("Al-Hayat Al-Jadidah", “Al-Ayyam" and “Alquds"), which is published in the West Bank, were prevented from distribution in the Gaza Strip by Palestinian police. They confiscated its copies after entering Beit Hanoun crossing (Eretz), Hamas movement had accused, in a statement distributed in July 26, the three newspapers of bias to Fatah"s position regarding the blast which occurred on the shore of Gaza and led to the deaths of six of its members and a young girl. On July 25, Hamas called on Ismail Haniya"s Government to take legal action against the three newspapers “which turned into a partisan tool for the promotion of the crime and its encouragement." It is worth mentioning that “Felesteen" and “Al-Resalah" newspapers, which are issued in Gaza, were banned from printing and distribution in West Bank since June 14, 2007.
(July 29) - Al-Jazeera.net reporter Awad Rajoub was arrested by Palestinian Preventive Security Service, after they raided his office in Dura town (Hebron). Journalist Haroon Amayrerh, who was present during the arrest at about 10pm, said they had confiscated two computers and all files, and then they took from him the office key, which Awad gave him during his arrest. (The sad thing is that Rajoub"s arrest came shortly after completing a report on attacks on journalists)
)July 29) - Reuters cameraman Yusri Mahmoud Al-Jamal (33 years) was attacked by the Palestinian security services during his coverage of Al-Tahrir party march in Hebron city. He said that the two members of Palestinian security tried to prevent him from filming but the security force coordinator officer (who controlled the march) allowed journalists to cover the march, then asked them to stay away from him. But Al-Jamal said, “After a short time two others came and they took my camera and smashed it. Then he spoke with the regional commander, who assured him that they will solve the matter. Al-Jamal was attacked by Palestinian security service in September 10, 2007.
(July 29) - Ma"an Agency office director in Gaza, Imad Eid, was summoned for investigation to the general Prosecution, after the dismissed government filed a complaint against Ma"an because it published a news story about A"ilapon society which it said was incorrect. Ma"an general director Nasser Lahham said the agency received the story in its main headquarters in Bethlehem, and because of the complex security situation sometimes it is difficult to ascertain the news, pointing out that the investigation with Eid continued for about two hours on July 29, and for several hours on Jul 31.
(July 29) - Editor of “Al-Ayyam" newspaper, Fareed Hammad, was arrested by Palestinian Preventative Security service, after raiding his home in Silwad town (Ramallah) at 4:30am. Before then, Hammad was summoned several days ago to Preventative Security service, but he didn’t go.
(July 31) – Agence France Press photographer Mousa Al-Sha"er, the Reuters team of Mohammed Abu Ghaneyeh, Nayef Hashlamoun and Muhammed Abu Hein, freelance photographer Najeh Hashlamoun, and the Associated Press team of Naser Alshiokhi and Iyad Hamad were attacked by Palestinian Preventive security service. Nayef Hashlamoun said they were waiting in Biet Jala town street to cover the Al-Tahrir Party symposium, when a large group of the Preventive Security assaulting them with curses and beatings, on the pretext that they were taking photographs of security patrols, although he explained to them that he was polishing the film, the journalists had filed a complaint to their commander in Bethlehem, who apologized to them and stressed that they would investigate the matter.
(July 31) - Freelance journalist Mustafa Sabri was arrested by the Palestinian intelligence service in Qalqilya city. His wife said that a group of them came to their house at about 8pm and arrested her husband, who had been summoned in the morning for investigation in the Intelligence headquarters and returned about 3pm as well as having been summoned the previous day, where they confiscated his identity card in order to ensure that he can"t leave the city.
