28 October 2010

The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) expresses its concern about banning some journalists from traveling by the dismissed government in the Gaza Strip via Rafah crossing on the Egyptian-Palestinian borders, especially since last July.

The security authorities in Gaza Strip banned the chief editor of Alshu’la electronic newspaper Saher Al-Aqra’ from traveling since 9 July 2010 till now. Al-Aqra’ said to MADA center that the security authorities are holding his passport and prevented him from traveling since that date. Al-Aqra’ intended to travel to obtain a master's degree in journalism and media from 6th of October University in Egypt.

In the same context, the security authorities in Gaza also prevented Palestine Voice Radio correspondent Tamim Muammar from traveling for the second time last week. The first time was on 9 July 2010. The journalist Raed Lafi also was banned from traveling on 27 July 2010, but they allowed him to travel later.

Preventing journalists from traveling is a flagrant violation of the Palestinian Basic law, As Article 11 says:

1. Personal freedom is a natural right, and shall be guaranteed and protected.

2. It is unlawful to arrest, search, imprison, restrict the freedom, or prevent the movement of, any person, except by judicial order in accordance with the provisions of law…

And article 20 says: “Freedom of residence and movement shall be guaranteed within the limits of law".

The Universal Declaration of Human rights also guarantees the right of movement as the article 13 of it says:

(1) Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each state.

(2) Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country.

MADA condemns once again preventing journalists from traveling, and demands the dismissed government in the Gaza Strip to stop this policy, and to allow journalists to move and travel freely.

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Contact:
Riham Abu Aita

Public Relation Officer
riham@madacenter.org
www.madacenter.org
00970 2 2976519