15 July 2010
The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) expresses its concern about the deteriorating situation of media freedoms in Gaza Strip. This week MADA has monitored several violations against journalists, they are: the detention of the dean of Media faculty in Aqsa university Dr. Ahmad Hamad and the Greek director Bindles Baba Byblos after filming a wedding in Beit Hanoun, the prevention of France Press Agency photographer Mohammed Al-Baba from covering a march for “ Hizb Al-Tahrir" in Alnasser area in Gaza, and the prevention of Alshu’la newspaper chief editor Saher Alaqra’ and the correspondent of Sawt Falesteen Radio (Palestinian public radio) Tamim Abu Muammar from traveling to Egypt, in addition to the continued prevention of the three daily newspapers (Al-Hayat Aljadedeh, Al-Ayyam and Al-Quds) to enter Gaza Strip since 7 July 2010.
Abu Muammar said that he went to the Rafah crossing on Friday, 9 June 2010 to travel to Egypt, and when he handed his passport to the security of the crossing, one of the officials there came and asked him to go to the Internal Security office in the passenger terminal. Abu Muammar added: "There, they told me that I was banned from travel, because there is recommendation from higher authorities, and when I asked them to give me an official paper stating that, they refused."
Alaqra’ said that he was banned from traveling to Egypt via Rafah crossing to complete his master studies in media in 6 October University, by people whose working with the dismissed Government, where they confiscated his passport and tearing his identity card on Friday, 9 July 2010. When he asked them why they preventing him from traveling, the answer was: "because you belong to Dayton government and Fateh."
According to Hamad he said that he had gone on Sunday evening, 11 July 2010 to Beit Hanoun, accompanied by lecturer Mohammad Abu Odeh, and the director Byblos to film a wedding there to conclude it in a documentary film about the life of citizens in Gaza. Hamad added: "After we finished filming we left the wedding around11 pm, but we were surprised that the police were waiting for us. They asked us about the tape which the director filmed, and when I asked them why? They answered: because you have filmed without permission, and conducted an interview with the father of the groom. And after an argument they took us to a police station in Beit Hanoun, and after they searched the car and watched the tape, the Superintendent Detective said “the tape is normal and does not have anything to harm the government. But another person interfered and said that the groom’s fathers hold the government the responsibility for poverty, unemployment and hunger in the Gaza." After many calls they release us after hour and a half of detention."
Al-Baba said that he was filming a march of “Hizb Al-Tahrir" in Alnasser area/ Maqqousi Towers on Tuesday, 13 July 2010 at 5:00 PM, during the filming, a group belonging to the criminal investigation police unit attacked him and confiscated his personal stuff (camera - laptop – mobile ), and they took him to the police station in Alshate’area. After detaining him for an hour they asked him to sign a pledge that he won’t publish any picture about the march’s event, because there is a superior order banning media converge of the march.
MADA center condemns all violations against journalists, and demands the relevant authorities in Gaza to reverse the policy of violating the freedom of opinion and expression, which guaranteed by Article 19 of the Palestinian Basic Law, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and journalist’s prevention from travel, which guaranteed by article 13 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, MADA also demands once again to allow the distribution of Palestinian newspapers in Gaza Strip and West Bank.
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Contact:
Riham Abu Aita
Public Relation Officer
Ramallah
riham@madacenter.org
www.madacenter.org
00970 2 2976519
