Appeals to President Mahmoud Abbas “Abu Mazen" to intervene to put an end to journalists arrest phenomenon in West Bank, the latest of which was yesterday, where journalist Nawaf Al-Amer was arrested by Palestinian security service after storming Ramatan News Agency headquarters in Ramallah city.

The building of a democratic Palestinian State requires a free independent and professional media, but what is happening attempts limit freedom of the press in the Palestinian territories contradicts with this objective, cherished by the Palestinian people and cause grave damage to the of national cause, economic, cultural and social development.

The deterioration of media freedoms situation to a point ,where the work with a media outlet become charge, and because of it journalist being prosecuted, imprisoned and sometimes put on trial, which is contrary to the right to freedom of opinion and expression guaranteed by the Palestinian Basic Law, and Publishing and Printing Law.

Mada always expressed condemnation of all media freedom violation in West Bank and Gaza Strip, and confirmed repeatedly the need to neutralize the media and non-sticky in the internal Palestinian conflict, where everyone felt the very negative effects upon it, due to the prosecution of it by the two parties of conflict (Hamas and Fatah).

Once again we extend our appeal to President Abu-Mazen to put an end to this phenomenon, and instruct the security services to release the journalists Khalil Mabruok and Masa’b Qatalonti In addition to Nawaf Al-Amir.

Ramallah
13 March 2008