The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (Mada) expresses concern over the continued detention of three freelance journalists from Deir Al-Balah, by the internal security agency of the dismissed Government in the Gaza Strip, namely: Akram Khalid el-Louh, Yusef Ali Fayyad, Hani Ahmed Ismail.
Three groups of the internal security service raided the homes of the three journalists, at the same time nearly, in about 1:30 am Sunday, October 12, 2008 and arrested them. According to three of their brothers, they confiscated from Fayyad house, his computer and Mobile in addition to his brother Ashraf computer. From el-Louh house they confiscated his computer, camera and two mobiles, in addition to documents, and from Ismail house his computer.
Mada condemns this attack on media freedom represented in the arrest of three journalists, considers it a flagrant violation of freedom of expression and violation of Palestinian Basic Law.
Mada demands the release of the three journalists and all detained journalists, and renew call for prohibiting of journalists arrest, in the Palestinian territories.