Violations of media freedoms in the Palestinian territories during the month April 2007
Press release
Last month witnessed an escalation in violation of media freedoms in Palestinian territories
Today marks the celebration of World Press Day, as we extend our warm congratulations to all fellow journalists in Palestine and throughout the globe, we hope to prisoners and abductees journalists a prompt release, and the injured ones speedy recovery, in the hope that the coming months and years ahead witness remarkable improvement on media freedoms, This will enable them to do their professional duty in best conditions, without fear or concern, and happy a’id.
the Palestinian territories witnessed escalation of media freedoms violation during last month (April), compared with the previous month, It included : (April 2) - attacking Abu Dhabi Channel correspondent Mohammed al-Sawalhi, Ramatan agency photographer Adnan al-Borsh, Swatel photographer Kamel Bolbol, Qatar television cameraman Mustafa al-Bayed, member of the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate Sakher Abu A’un, Media Group photographer Wisam al-A’shi, in Gaza City, by Prime Minister bodyguards. (April 10) –raiding Radio Zien headquarters, in Jenin city, and damaging its equipment by armed Palestinian group. (April 17) –injuring: France Press photographer Mohammed al-Baba (in his left eye), Ramatan agency photographer Ashraf Kafarneh (broken finger), Ramatan agency sound technician Muhammad Shabat (bruises), German ARD TV correspondent Zakaria al-Telmis (bruising to his foot), Rafidain channel cameraman Nidal Bolbol (bruises),in Gaza city by Legislative Council Guard members. (April 21) - injuring Al-Ayyam daily columnist Ashraf al-Ajrami injury in the forehead by grenade shrapnel in Jabalia town (Gaza Strip) by armed Palestinian group.
What is dangerous in these attacks that, some were committed by legislative guards, which this institution should be the custodian of public freedoms, including freedom of opinion and expression, and the Prime Minister guards, who is supposed to implement the law, and ensures the protection of citizens, including journalists.
It is noticeable that, some Palestinian armed groups in West Bank are trying again, to imitate of what is happening in Gaza of attacks on media institutions, as happened with Radio Zien in Jenin city.
Mada center condemns these new crimes against Palestinian journalists, and the continuing abduction of Alan Johnson, and confirms that the continuing security chaos , which prevail in the Palestinian territories, reflect dark shadow over media freedoms, and provides fertile ground for its continuity, so we renew our call for Palestinian Authority and government, to implement the security plan, proposed by the Interior Ministry, which would be reflected positively on freedom of opinion and expression, and the entire life of the Palestinian people, and their just cause.
Mada center renews concern for the safety of kidnapped journalist Johnson by an armed Palestinian group, since the 12th of last March, which is a longer process abduction of a foreign journalist in Palestinian territories, This casts doubts on the seriousness of the efforts being made for his release, so we call on concerned Palestinian official institutions, to deal seriously with this issue, to secure his release safe and sound.
Israeli occupation forces have escalated violations of media freedoms in occupied Palestinian territories, which included: (April - beating of Press photographer Atta A’weisat, in Hebron city. (April 12) injuring Associated Press photographer Iyad Hamad, Jerusalem Educational Television correspondent Rami Faqih, by sound bomb shrapnel in Qalandia refugee camp. (April 13) – injuring France Press Agency photographer Abbas Moumni by rubber bullet in the right leg, Jerusalem Post newspaper photographer Ahmad Grabli by two bullets in his right leg and back, Arabiya channel cameraman Mohammed Tarifi faint as a result of inhaling tear gas vastly, and arresting Al-Jazeera cameraman Ramadan Afaneh, Ammar Awad, Reuters photographer and two Israeli journalists, for four hours, in Blain village. (April 19) - attacking Palestinian News Agency (WAFA) website, by internet hackers, they deleted Arabic, English and French files on the site. (April 20) - Dubai TV cameraman Dawoud Aqilha inhaled tear gas vastly, and injuring the British Channel 4 cameramen Musa’ad Tua’mah by rubber bullet in Blain village. (April 21) - injuring (WAFA) Agency photographer Seif el-Din al-Dahlah in the chest, in Kofur Dan village (Jenin).
It was noted that the Israeli occupation forces attacks against journalists, who participated in the coverage of the Blain weekly demonstration in April 13,were intended as it is confirmed by France press photographer Abbas Moumni, who was covering the demonstration every week, before the start of the demonstration they informed journalists, (about twenty) to leave the place, because it is closed military zone, but without showing a written order, and when the journalists refused to leave, they fired rubber bullets and tear gas canisters towards them, resulting in the injury of three journalists, then again they asked them to leave through a loudspeaker, but they refused to leave, They arrested four of them, whom were released after four hours, in the week following week, Blain declared a closed military zone, the Israeli army media spokesman called offices of foreign news agencies, and asked them not to send crews to Blain.
It is known that this procedure used by occupation forces in many cases to prevent journalists, from covering its aggressions against Palestinian citizens and their property, and it is clear that extensive press coverage of Blain demonstration is bothering them.
Mada center condemns all Israeli attacks on journalists and media institutions, confirms that the continuation of these attacks pose a threat to media freedoms, so we call on the international community to practice more pressure on government of Israel, to stop its soldiers attacks on Palestinian journalists, and to allow them, to do their professional duty in full freedom.
Mada center demands the prosecution of those responsible for attacks on journalists, in the Palestinian and Israeli sides, and to bring them to justice.
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Monthly Summary report
(April 2) – Abu Dhabi Channel correspondent Mohammed al-Sawalhi, Ramatan agency photographer Adnan al-Borsh, Swatel photographer Kamel Bolbol, Qatar television cameraman Mustafa al-Bayed, member of Palestinian Journalists Syndicate Sakher Abu A’un, Media Group photographer Wisam al-A’shi, were attacked and beaten by Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniya bodyguards, during their sit in front of prime minister headquarters in Gaza city, they were demanding the release of BBC correspondent Alan Johnson, who was kidnapped by armed Palestinians group on March 12, 2007.
(April - Associated Press photographer Atta A’weisat, was attacked and beaten by Israeli occupying forces, in Hebron city south of West Bank, members of the Christian Peace Team who were present at the event has intervened to defend him, settlers tried to take his camera to destroy it, after preventing him from taking pictures near the Ibrahimi Mosque, At the same time, they allowed Israeli photographers to enter the mosque area.
(April 10) - Radio Zein headquarters in Jenin city, was raided at eleven at night, by armed Palestinian group, after storming the building headquarters, where they opened fire on the main door closure ,then on the external and internal doors closures of the headquarters, they began firing at the equipment and furniture, which resulted in the sabotage of transmission, four computers, and two mixtures, in addition to the furniture, which of the radio broadcasting was halted for several days, a group called itself (a prophet devotee Brigades), has issued a statement, claimed responsibility for the attack after three days, no one from the employees were hurt, because they were not present during the attack.
(April 12) - Associated Press photographer Iyad Hamad, Quds Educational Television correspondent Rami Al-Faqeeh, were injured by bomb shrapnel, thrown by Israeli occupation soldiers, during their dispersal of women demonstration, in Kalandia refugee camp north of Jerusalem, which was heading to the Israeli military checkpoint at the entrance of al- Ram town.
(April 13) - France Press Agency photographer Abbas Moumni was injured by rubber bullet in the right leg, Jerusalem Post newspaper photographer Ahmad Grabli was injured by two rubber bullets in his right leg and back, Mohamed Tarifi Arabiya channel cameraman faint in result of inhaling tear gas vastly, by the Israeli occupation forces, before the start of the anti-Apartheid Wall weekly demonstration, in Blain village (Ramallah), and Al-Jazeera cameraman Ramadan Afaneh, Reuters photographer Ammar Awad , two Israeli journalists were detained for four hours behind the wall.
(April 17) - two Palestinian Legislative Council guards attacked journalists which caused injuries to: France Press photographer Mohammed al-Baba (in his left eye), Ramatan agency photographer Ashraf Kafarneh (broken finger), Ramatan agency sound technician Muhammad Shabat (bruises), German ARD TV correspondent Zakaria al-Telmis (bruises in his foot), Rafidain channel cameraman Nidal Bolbol (bruises), the deputies and the Legislative Council presidency rejected to get out and listen to their demands, so dozens of Palestinian journalists tried to climb into the high courtyard of the legislative council building , the guards pushed them back, some of them fell on the ground, The journalists were staging a march, headed to the headquarters of the Legislative council in Gaza City to protest the continued abduction BBC correspondent Alan Johnson, and to call members of the Legislative Council to fulfill their duty, by pressuring the executive branch, to make further efforts for the release of Johnson.
(April 19) - Israeli internet hackers attacked, Palestinian News Agency (WAFA) website, they deleted Arabic, English and French files on the site, and wrote “ALL 4 LEBANON", and harsh words about t Hezbollah in Lebanon, statement pointed out that these repeated attacks on the site, back to being the official Palestinian “especially as its Palestine window in the news, as well as in the number of visitors reaching to nearly a quarter of a million a day". WAFA Agency site was attacked on March 1, 2007.
(April 20) - Dubai TV cameraman Dawoud Aqilah suffered from tear gas vastly inhaling, which required his treatment, the British Channel 4 photographer Musa’d Tua’ma was injured by rubber bullet in the head, he fell to the ground and lost consciousness, during Israeli occupation forces dispersal of the participants, in the weekly demonstration in Blain village, he was taken to Sha’arei Tsedek hospital in West Jerusalem, while was suffering from coma.
(April 21) – Colmunist at Al-Ayyam daily Ashraf al-Ajrami was wounded in the forehead from grenade fragments, thrown at his home direction, by armed Palestinian group, in Jabaliya town (Gaza Strip).
(April 21) - Palestinian News Agency (WAFA) photographer Seif el-Ddin al-Dahlah suffered from bruises in the chest, when Israeli occupation soldier threw a large stone at his direction, which hit him in the chest, during his coverage of the Israeli incursion into the Kofur Dan village (Jenin).
