MADA: serious violations of media freedoms in the last month – including the murder of Italian journalist Vittorio Arrigoni
The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) monitored a number of violations against journalists in the Occupied Palestinian Territories in April 2011. Trends for 2011 show a reduced number of violations in April compared with previous months. This marked decrease is however negated by the increased brutality of the violations, such as the abduction and murder of Italian journalist Vittorio Arrigoni by an armed Palestinian group, and journalist Mohamed Almadhoun sustaining severe head injuries following an attack by Israeli Forces in the Gaza Strip.
From January to April 2011, MADA has monitored a total of 82 violations against journalists; with Israeli Occupation Forces and settlers committing 31, and Palestinian security forces in the West Bank and Gaza committing 51 violations. This unprecedented increase in Palestinian perpetrated violations stands in stark contrast to 2010, when, in the same period MADA monitored 69 violations, 57 of which were committed by Israeli occupation forces. This marks an increase of Palestinian perpetrated violations from 17% to 62% of all reported violations.
Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) violations:
The IOF continued their attacks against Palestinian journalists in April; of the injuries sustained, the most severe was that of Al-Bayader Alsiyasi magazine reporter Mohammed Madhoun on Thursday 7 April 2011, following an Israeli military strike on the Abad Rahman area in the Gaza Strip.
IOF personnel confiscated Radio Bethlehem 2000’s transmitter in Hebron, shutting down the station’s 102.9 frequency band that broadcasts to southern West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
Al-ayyam newspaper editor Abdel-Moneim Shelby was arrested by the IOF following a raid at his home; Shelby was released at 7pm the next day.
Israeli soldiers and settlers attacked three photojournalists - Zahid Jaafar Ashtiyeh of Agence France Presse (AFP), and Associated Press Agency Nasser Ishtayeh, and Wagdy Mohammed Shtayyeh of the (APA) Agency – while covering settler attacks on the eastern side of the village of Burin, south of Nablus in the West Bank, on Tuesday 19 April 2011.
In addition, Tuyor Aljaneh channel correspondent Farid Saleh was issued with a 15-day ban from entering al-Aqsa mosque by occupation authorities after filming a festival on Saturday 14 April 2011
Palestinian violations:
The most significant Palestinian perpetrated violation in this period was the abduction and murder of Italian journalist, Vittorio Arrigoni, by an armed group on Friday morning 16 April 2011, in Gaza Strip.
Two police officers deleted press material belonging to Alán channel journalists preparing a report on the closure of the Albaqiyat Alsalihat association in Gaza Strip.
In addition, members of Hamas’ internal security services prevented Quds Radio correspondent Abdullah Meqdad from covering a public sit-in in Gaza City.
In the West Bank, personnel of the Public Investigation Unit and the Palestinian police detained Information and Communications company photographer, Ala Alehih, and prevented him from filming at Manara Square in Ramallah on Monday, 11 April 2011.
On 4 April 2011, the Magistrate's Court in Hebron again postponed the trial of the journalist Alaa al-Titi from the 27th of April until the 26th of May. The resolution and verdict of Al-Titi’s case has been repeatedly postponed since 04 November 2008.
Conclusion and recommendations:
The Palestinian Centre for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) strongly condemns all violations against media freedoms in the occupied Palestinian territories, in particular the murder of journalist Vittorio Arrigoni, and calls for an end to all attacks on journalists. MADA additionally demands that all persons involved in perpetrating acts of violence against journalists be held accountable, and respect freedom of expression which is granted in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Palestinian Basic Law.
MADA welcomes the positive impact of the reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas, which has allowed for the return of broadcasts from Palestine TV in the Gaza Strip, and Al-Aqsa TV in Ramallah. MADA wishes to express its hope that the reconciliation will end attacks on journalists, particularly following the escalation of attacks after the Hamas takeover of the Gaza Strip in mid June 2007, and allow for all media to operate freely in the Palestinian areas.
Details of violations:
4 April - The Magistrate’s Court in Hebron postponed the journalist Ala’ Al-Titi’s trial to 27 April 2011 to give the prosecution time to gather new evidence. Al-Titi has been appearing before the court since 4 November 2008. On 27 April the court again postponed the trial, which is now set for 26 May 2011.
Al-Titi’s case - The court of Appeals in Hebron had previously affirmed his innocence on charges of sedition in relation to his work with Al-Aqsa TV, in a decision taken by the Magistrate's Court on 24 April 2009; the prosecution however repealed this decision. Al-Titi’s lawyer Hamza Awad said: “The repeated postponement of Al-Titi’s trial is just an exercise in procrastination, the judge has given the prosecution numerous opportunities to present their evidence and determine their list of witnesses". Awad added that this repeated postponement is part of an on-going campaign of harassment against al-Titi, and in clear violation of his rights as a citizen guaranteed under Palestinian Basic Law.
7 April – al-Bayader al-Siyas magazine correspondent Muhammad al-Madhoun sustained severe head injuries following an Israeli military strike in the Gaza Strip. In a statement to MADA, al-Madhoun said that on the night of the 7th he was in his cousin’s home when Israeli’s shelling began. Because of the severity of his head wounds al-Madhoun had to be taken for immediate treatment to Shifa’ Hospital where he underwent emergency surgery.
10 April - Two police officers serving the Hamas government deleted press material belonging to Alán channel journalists preparing a report on the closure of the Albaqiyat Alsalihat association in Gaza Strip. Alán channel correspondent Rita Isaac said that she went with the cameraman to make a report about the government sanctioned closure of the association. Isaac said that they noticed two people observing them, one of whom was videoing them, while they were filming outside the entrance of the association.
Isaac added: "We asked him why he was filming us and he responded that “it’s not your business", after which he continued filming us, so I filmed them before entering my car. They then approached us and demanded to see our camera equipment, at first I questioned their demand and refused to hand it over. Then one of the men introduced himself as an officer from the Investigation and Internal Security Unit. I repeated my refusal so he took the camera by force and deleted all the data before throwing it into my car."
11 April - Public Investigation and Palestinian police personnel detained Information and Communications company photographer, Ala al-Ehih, and prevented him from filming at Manara Square in Ramallah. Al-Ehih told MADA that he was filming at al-Manara Square at approximately 7pm, when he was approached a police officer who asked the reason for his filming. Al-Ehih told the officer that he was preparing a report on Ramallah city, who then walked away.
Al-Ehih was then approached by two men from the Public Investigation’s Unit who asked him to accompany them to the police station, which he did so voluntarily. Al-Ehih, said: "I was taken to the Investigations Department and they interrogated me about my work and asked me to present my photography permit. I told the investigator that a permit was not necessary, so he began to argue with me, then the other members conducting the investigation tried to provoke me by playing carelessly with my camera. I was held at the centre for an hour before they released me."
12 April - Internal Security members of the Hamas government prevented Quds Radio correspondent Abdullah Meqdad from covering a public sit-in for residents of the Mughraqa area, held in front of the Gaza City cabinet minister’s headquarters. According to Mekdad, he went to the area to cover the sit-in, he was live on air with the protesters waiting to hear from an official who was directed to listen to their demands, and proceeded to interview one of the protesters. Mekdad said: "During that time one of the security men tried to pull the man I was interviewing with him, he also attempted to confiscate my mobile but I stopped him. I announced live on air that the Security Services were preventing me from interviewing protesters, then two more men approached me, asked me finishing the interview and demanded I leave the area immediately. At first I refused but then they tried to attack me so I left. "
14 April – IOF personnel confiscated Radio Bethlehem 2000’s transmitter in Hebron, effectively shutting down the station’s 102.9 frequency band that broadcasts to southern West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Radio Bethlehem 2000 director George Canawati said that IOF soldiers raided the building where the transmitter was located and confiscated it, disconnecting all broadcasts to southern Bank and Gaza Strip. Canawati added that he had made a formal complaint to the Palestinian DCO, but has not yet received a response from the occupation authorities.
15 April - Israeli occupation forces arrested Al-Ayyam newspaper editor Abdel Moneim Shalabi from his home in Al-Bireh. Shalabi said to MADA that a large force of soldiers came to his home at five o'clock on the morning, searched his house and arrested him. He added: "I was taken to an interrogation centre in Bet El settlement before they transferred me to Ofer prison. There I was interrogated for about two hours about my work and personal life; they released me in at 7pm the following night"
16 April – An armed group in Gaza Strip abducted and murdered Italian journalist and writer Vittorio Arrigoni. Arrigoni was found dead in an abandoned house in northern Gaza Strip on the morning of Friday 16 April 2011. The Jihadi Salafist announced the abduction of Arrigoni on the morning of Thursday 14 April, and demanded that the Hamas government release detainees belonging to their separatist group. Arrigoni spent 3 years living in the Gaza strip writing about suffering of Gazans and participating in solidarity activities.
19 April - Israeli soldiers and settlers attacked three photojournalists - Zahid Jaafar Ashtiyeh of Agence France Presse (AFP), Associated Press Agency photographer Nasser Ishtayeh and Wagdy Mohammed Shtayyeh of the (APA) Agency – while covering settler attacks on the eastern side of the village of Burin, south of Nablus in the West Bank, on Tuesday 19 April 2011. Settlers hurled stones at the journalists, who, in their attempt to escape the attack Wajdi and Nasser were detained and beaten by the Israeli soldiers.
In his statement to MADA, Ja’far Ashtiyeh said that he went to the area to cover settler attacks, where upon arrival to the scene settlers began throwing stones at them causing abrasions to his shoulder. He added: “We tried to stay away after that but Israeli soldiers beat Nasser to the ground, causing severe bruising, they savagely beat Wagdy both with their arms and rifle butts, breaking his nose."
24 April –Tuyor Aljaneh channel correspondent Farid Saleh was issued with a 15-day ban from entering the al-Aqsa mosque courtyard by occupation authorities after filming a festival on Saturday 14 April 2011. Saleh said that after he finished covering the festival and was making his way out of the al-Aqsa mosque compound he was stopped by members of the Israeli police and escorted to a nearby investigation centre. There police officials presented him with the ban order prohibiting him from entering the Al-Aqsa courtyard for 15 days. The order officially states that any violation of this order will be met with a 3000 shekel fine. Saleh added: "My charge was violating the law by filming in a forbidden area, but there is no law that prevents filming in the courtyard of Al-Aqsa."
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Contact:
Aslynn Degerland
International relation officer
a.hemadan@madacenter.org
www.madacenter.org
