The Exposure of violations of freedom expression is an essential step to reduce them

24 June, 2010

The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedom (MADA) hosted yesterday, the fourth monthly consultative meeting with group of journalists, in the center office in Ramallah city, to discuss media freedoms situation in Palestine, and the best ways to curb the attacks against journalists.

MADA director Mousa Rimawi reviewed the reality of media freedoms in Palestine, where journalists are suffering from various violations from different sides, and despite the decline in violations during the past year compared to the few precedents years, it witnessed a qualitatively violation, where four journalists were killed by Israeli occupation forces during the aggression against Gaza strip, and he noted that the violations enhanced the self-censorship among journalists.

Rimawi also reviewed MADA work development in the field of media freedoms, where MADA moved from monitoring, follow-up, and issuance of the monthly reports and alerts to the legal assistance to journalists, in the issues related to freedom of opinion and expression, either to provide legal consultancy, or defend them in court if necessary.

He pointed to MADA joining the International Freedom of Expression Exchange (IFEX) last year, which included 88 international, regional and local organizations around the world.

Rimawi said that MADA will hold workshops in west bank and Gaza strip beginning next July, about freedom of opinion and expression in the local and international legislation.

The participants confirmed that the journalism must work impartially and professionally, and the need to separate between their professional work and their political affiliation. 

They confirmed the need to disseminate the opinion and expression freedom culture between the Palestinian society , they also confirmed the importance of continuing the monitoring and exposure of violations against journalists as an essential step to reduce them. 
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Contact: 
Riham Abu Aita
Public Relation Officer
Ramallah
riham@madacenter.org
www.madacenter.org
00970 2 2976519