Ramallah - 07/07/2011: The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) monitored 13 violations against journalists in occupied Palestinian territories in the month of June 2011. The Israeli occupation forces committed the majority of violations, in addition to a number of violations committed by Palestinian security services. This indicates that Palestinian journalists are still suffering and subjected to serious risks while performing their professional work.
IOF violations:
Israeli Occupation Forces continued to obstruct the work of journalists through various procedures such as arrest, detention, assault, and the prevention of travel. From the first of June IOF personnel detained Al-Quds newspaper and Bokra Net correspondents Muna Alqawasmi and Maisa’ Abu Ghazalah, respectively, while they were covering the Israeli “AlQuds United" festival in memory of occupying East Jerusalem in 1967, in the AlAqsa mosque courtyard in Jerusalem. The IOF also detained the Radio Bethlehem 2000 director, George Kanawati, while covering the IOF raid on Al-Quds Open University in Beit Sahour on Wednesday 22 June 2011; and on Sunday 19 June 2011, the IOF detained cameraman Moáyad Alashkar and prevented him from filming in front of Khdori University in Tulkarem, North West Bank.
While covering one of the weekly marches against settlements, an Israeli soldier deliberately hurled a tear gas projectile at Europe Agency photographer Wajdi Ishtyeh, causing contusions and burns. Ishtyeh was then taken directly to hospital for treatment. On Sunday 26 June 2011, Israeli occupation authorities banned Alnajah University media teacher and columnist, Fareed Abu Dheir, from traveling to a UNESCO conference on scientific journalism in Qatar. Quds TV program coordinator Nawaf Al-Amer was also arrested at his home in Nablus City, West Bank, on 28 June 2011.
Palestinian violations:
The security services in the West Bank and Gaza Strip committed smaller number of violations against journalists in June, however the context in which these violations occurred and the conduct of security service personnel is of great concern to MADA:
Internal security of the Hamas government in Gaza in June, summoned France 24 TV correspondent Salameh Atallah for investigation several times after preparing and broadcasting a report about the armed fundamentalist group “Taliban Palestine" in the Gaza Strip. Security services also prevented Wafa Agency correspondent Omar Alfara from covering the Tawjihi exams in Khanyounis city, on 20 June 2011.
In the West Bank, a group of policewomen brutally beat the Middle East Center for Studies correspondent Ibtihal Mansour while covering a group sit in demanding an end to political arrests in Nablus city. The same police personnel also confiscated the tape recording of events from journalists Ahmad Alkhateed after searching his ID card, at the same event on 13 June 2011.
Conclusion and recommendations:
The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) condemns all violations against journalists, and wishes to emphasize the need for journalists’ protection in the occupied Palestinian territories and ongoing efforts to ease their suffering under the Israeli Occupation Forces. MADA additionally stresses its call upon the international community to stand by Palestinian journalists in upholding their right to freedom of expression, guaranteed in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and to hold Israeli forces accountable for their violations against journalists in the occupied Palestinian territories.
The Center also calls upon Palestinian security forces in the West Bank and Gaza Strip to observe journalists rights to freedom of opinion and expression and allow Palestinian journalists to work freely and without hindrance. MADA additionally demands that the security service opens internal investigations into all of the attacks committed against journalists by their personnel, and holds responsible parties accountable.
Details of violations:
(1 June) Israeli Occupation Forces detained Al-Quds newspaper correspondent Muna Alqawasmi and Bokra Net correspondent Maisa’ Abu Ghazalah while covering the Israeli “AlQuds United" festival, in AlAqsa mosque yard in Jerusalem. The incident took place on Wednesday 1 June 2011. Alqwasmi said to MADA that she went with her colleague to cover the festival, during which time they were approached by an Israeli officer who detained their identity cards, cameras and mobiles, after confiscating their personal items the officer then took them to the Israeli police station in the “Bab Alsilsila" quarter. Alqwasmi and Abu Ghazalah were interrogated separately about the reason for their covering events and their work: “after one and half an hour of investigation they took us to another police station and interrogated us once again. We were accused of violating the general system and annoying the police men, after 3 hours we were released".
(13 June) A group of policewomen attacked the Middle East Center for Studies’ Ibtihal Mansour while covering a group sit-in demanding an end to political arrests in Nablus city in the West Bank. The incident took place on Monday 13 June 2011. Mansour told MADA that many people were present when she went to cover the sit in, at which time a man in civilian clothes approached her and asked to see both her identity and press cards. Mansour refused the request so the unidentified man called over a police man who ordered her to stop filming, which she did. Mansour added: “I stopped covering and was standing beside one of the legislative council members when a group of policewomen attacked and beat me brutally, they confiscated my mobile and tried to confiscate my camera as well. Some legislative members tried to intervene, including my mother, Muna Mansour, but in vain. Suddenly one of the police officers came and asked them to go away, one of them confiscated the video tape from journalist Ahmad Alkhatib and they searched him".
(18 June) Israeli Occupation Forces attacked the Europe agency photographer Wajdi Ishtyeh while he was covering the weekly march in Oraq Burien village in Nablus city, on Saturday 18 June 2011. Ishtyeh said that he was covering the weekly march against settlements, when an Israeli soldier threw a gas projectile deliberately against him from a short distance which hit his right hand. Ishtyeh added: “it caused wounds and burns, and I was taken directly to the hospital for treatment".
(19 June) Israeli Occupation Forces detained cameraman Moáyad Alashkar and prevented him from filming in front of Khdori University in Tulkarem, north West Bank on Sunday 19 June 2011. Alashkar – a cameraman for the Ma’an network and Associated Press agencies – said that he was filming members of the Israeli intelligence service while they stopped and searched university students. Israeli military personnel conducted full body searches and confiscated students’ mobile phones and identity cards for inspection. While filming events, Alashkar was approached by an officer who confiscated his camera, identity card and press cards. The officer proceeded to tell him that filming in the area was forbidden, Alashkar objected to the prohibition and entered into a verbal altercation with the officer, during which time the officer ordered his accompanying soldiers to arrest him. Alshkar added: "I called the Associated Press offices immediately and my boss requested to speak with the officer, he told the officer that I was doing my job and had a right to film. After half an hour they returned my belongings and told me “Stay away from here". "
(20 June) Members of Hamas internal security services in Gaza prevented Wafa Agency correspondent Omar Alfara from covering the Tawjihi exams (final highschool exams) in Khanyounis city. The incident took place on Monday 20 June 2011. Alfarah said to MADA: “I went to cover the tests, and while I was asking the students about the test, one of the security officers told me that talking to students was prohibited. I asked the officer why and informed him that I have a press card and special permission from the education ministry to cover, in spite of that he asked me to leave the school grounds. I went out and started to ask the student outside about the test so he told me again to stop talking with the students". Alfarah said the after 3 minutes he received a call from the internal security unit who told him to present himself at their headquarters in Khanyounis immediately. He arrived at the headquarters as requested, and was made to wait for over an hour before being forced to sign a document stating that he will not cover the tests in Gaza unless he receives special permission from the security service spokesperson. Alfara called the spokespersons number many times but was never connected.
(22 June) Israeli Occupation Forces detained the Radio Bethlehem 2000’s direcrtor George Kanawati while covering the Israeli occupation forces raid on Al-Quds Open University in the town of Beit Sahour, on Wednesday 22 June 2011. Kanawati told MADA that he was filming the occupation soldiers raid on the University when he was approached by one of the soldiers and asked to present his press card, which he handed over. On his return the soldier ordered him not to film, Kanawati refused saying that he was doing his job to film. Kanawati added: "After that, another soldier came and confiscated my ID card and told me that filming is prohibited, I told him that I was doing my job, am in my city and it’s my right to film, so an argument occurred between us and after about 40 minutes they released me."
(22 June) The internal security of the Hamas government in Gaza summoned France 24 TV correspondent Salameh Atallah for investigation several times after preparing and broadcasting a report on the armed fundamentalist group “Taliban Palestine" in the Gaza Strip. Atallah received a call from Internal Security personnel and told to come to the security headquarters on Wednesday 22 June 2011 at ten in the morning. When he went there he waited about 2 hours before being questioned about the report. Investigators accused Atallah of fabricating the report, which he denied, informing the officers that he had handed them the complete report in May without any changes. Atallah was released at 3:00 pm that day and ordered to come back on 26 June 2011 at ten on the morning. Atallah said to MADA: "When I went there I was detained in a very hot room and forced to stay on a chair for more than six hours, the security officers shouted at me whenever I tried to move. At about 4:00 pm an officer entered and interrogated me about the “Taliban Palestine" group and my report for around one hour before sending me back to the detention room. At approximately six in the evening they handed me another summons to appear at the headquarters on 30 June 2011, which I refused, but they told me that I was compelled to appear while an officer forcibly shoved me against the wall. Someone told me that the security service know that I did not fabricate the report, but don’t want me to write about the topic. When I went there for the third time I waited for an hour and then was questioned again and asked about the human rights and media organizations that were in touch with me about my repeated summons. I was released at 2:00 pm".
(26 June) the Israeli occupation authorities banned Alnajah University columnist and media teacher Fareed Abu Dheir from traveling to a UNESCO conference on scientific journalism in Qatar. The incident took place on Sunday 26 June 2011. Abu Dheir told MADA that he was supposed to go to the conference to present a talk about scientific media in Palestine, and despite having official Israeli approval to travel from the Israeli coordination center, he was prevented from crossing the Allenby Bridge border to Jordan by Israeli occupation authorities. Abu Dheir added: "I was detained for two hours before an officer came, he told me I was banned from traveling because I do pose a threat to Israeli state security. This surprises me, I have been banned from travel several times since 2006, and when I contacted the Israeli coordination center they said that I could travel."
(28 June) Israeli occupation forces arrested Quds TV program coordinator Nawaf Al-Amer from his home in Nablus City, West Bank, on 28 June 2011. In his statement to MADA, Al-Amer’s son said that a unit of Israeli soldiers came to their home at 2:30 am on 28 June 2011 and searched the second floor of their home before arresting his father. His son added: “they knocked loudly on the door and asked my father to leave the house while ordering us to stay in one room. After about 15 minutes they took him. We found out later that he is in Hiwara prison".
