27 March 2011 - Ramallah: Police officers of the Hamas government assaulted Quds Radio correspondent Mohammed Abdel Nabi in Kamal Adwan Hospital, Gaza Strip, on the morning of Sunday 27 March. Police officers had been detaining Nabi for over an hour in a room of the hospital where he had been making a report when the attack occurred.

According to his statement, Abdul Nabi went to the Kamal Adwan hospital to cover the injuries following an attack on Jabaliya City, northern Gaza, by the Israeli Occupation Forces. While he was there, it was discovered that one of the injured had been mistakenly pronounced dead and taken to the morgue where he was left for half an hour. Upon discovery that the patient was still alive his family began to scream and protest against the medical neglect. Abdul Nabi reported the story, titled "the living martyr", live on Quds Radio and included the testimony of the patient’s cousin who had witnessed the mistake.

Upon completion of the broadcast Abdul Nabi was approached by six armed police personnel informing him that he was wanted by the Ministry of Health. Police then tried to arrest him, to which he protested, and was then taken by force to a private room in the hospital despite the intervention of numerous witnesses.

Abdul Nabi added: "I was attacked and treated like a criminal, including verbal insults. A doctor from the hospital came to the room, demanding I withdraw the report on air, but I refused and said he should file a legal complaint. I was detained for more than an hour then released."

The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) strongly condemns the attack and attempts to pressure Abdul Nabi to withdraw his report. MADA considers the actions of Police personnel and the member of hospital staff a violation of media freedoms, and an attempt to distort the truth and cover up negligence that could have cost a patient their life.

Contact:

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Riham Abu aita

Public relation officer riham@madacenter.org

00972 2976519