Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (Mada) Demands the cessation of journalists detention policy by the Palestinian security forces, the release of Associated Press photographer Mohammed Athbeh, who was arrested on the eighth of this month, to stop the prosecution of Freelance journalist Mustafa Sabri, who was being prosecuted since his release on the tenth of this month where Being summoned to investigation every two days, the most recently was last Wednesday, they detained him every time for a period of two to four hours without being questioned.

 Mada also demands the release of journalists detained in Israeli prisons, and the cessation of journalist’s arrests policy, which was the last example of it, journalist Hasan Al-Rajoub arrest in 14 of May.

In the same time Mada Center welcomes the release of journalist Musa’ab Qatalouni after seven and seventy days arrest, and columnist Dr Issam Shawar after eleven days arrest, in the prisons of the Palestinian National Authority, last week, also welcomed the Ministry of Information in the dismissed government decision to drop the case against Al-Hayat Al-Jadidah chief editor Hafez Barghouti.

Mada condemns all attacks on journalists, demands respect for local laws and international charters that guarantee freedom of opinion and expression.

Ramallah
May25, 2008