Ramallah – 10 March 2011: The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) monitored numerous violations against journalists in the occupied Palestinian territories during February; including the Israeli occupation forces continued use of attacks, arrests, beatings, use of tear gas and concussion grenades and firing of rubber bullets in targeting journalists covering events in Jerusalem, Ramallah and Hebron. In addition, journalists have faced detention and harassments by security forces in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
MADA reports six incidences of journalists being targeted in Jerusalem following the Friday prayers, three assaults during journalists’ coverage of the weekly Beit Omar march in Hebron and one arrest, where the journalists was held for 6 days after covering a march of solidarity with the families of the Hebron martyrs.
In Gaza, MADA reports three summonses for investigation, with two being issued to the same journalist in a month period. In addition, one journalist is under veritable house arrest following an accusation from security services of instigating a news-led campaign of incitement against the government.
In the West Bank, MADA monitored the attack of a freelance journalist by police officers, the detention and interrogation of one journalist by the Preventive Security Services in Bethlehem, and one summons for investigation in Nablus.
Riham Abu aita
Public relation officer riham@madacenter.org www.madacenter.org
00972 2976519
