MADA: an escalation of Israeli Occupation targeting of Palestinian Journalists last month
During March 2013 in Occupied Palestine, the Israeli occupation has continued its attacks on journalists, where the past month has witnessed another escalation of violations against Palestinian media freedoms in the West Bank territories by the Israeli forces, which lead to injuring several journalists, these injuries varied, but the hardest and most sever were those which affected three journalists: Jihad AL-Qadi who was injured in front of the Ofar prison, Atta Oweisat, and Mahfouz Abu Turk both injured in Jerusalem.
In addition, the Israeli Occupation resumed its policy of detaining and arresting journalists, where the journalists Waleed Khaled, Tareq Abu Zaid, and Bakir Al’atili were arrested, the occupation also detained the journalists Abdu Alaziz Nofal and Hamza Alsalayma, and on Karamah Crossing border the occupation detained the journalist Mohammad Al-laham. In Jerusalem the occupation detained the journalist Mahmoud Abu Khudeer, in addition to detaining and brutally assaulting the photo journalist Muhammad Alfateh Abu Snina.
Another form of Israeli Occupation violations against Journalists last month was by preventing them from covering events at a verity of sites, and targeting them directly with Gas and sound bombs, which caused many of them to suffocate.
Although the Palestinian violations against journalists were less numerous and serious, yet the Fatah-Hamas division still reflects a negative impact on journalists, where the Internal Security forces in Gaza forced the journalist Sahir Alakra to sign a pledge to close his news site, but not until his arrest lasted 3 months during which he was tortured and ill-treated. In the West Bank territories, the Palestinian intelligence services arrested the journalist Tareq Alsoukarji. In addition a group of Palestinian journalists were prevented from covering the American president Barak Obama’s visit and meeting with the Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas.
Another bash on Media Freedoms in Palestine occurred when the 1 year sentence to jail of the Quds TV correspondent Mamdouh Hamamrah was confirmed by the Magistrate's Court as “An appeal court” in Bethlehem, on the 28th March 2013. On the same day, the Magistrate's Court in Salfit sentenced a Palestinian citizen Annas Ismael to 6 months in jail charged of libel and slander of the former Minister of Communications Mash’hoor Abu Dakka, and on the 5th February 2013 the Magistrate’s Court in Nablus sentenced Anas Awad to a 1 year in jail charged with "Disperse the gathering of the nation and prolong the tongue on the shrines of the supreme authority”. All the above court verdicts and charges, which are due to their opinions expressed on facebook, affects significantly the freedom of expression in the Palestinian society, and promotes an atmosphere of fear among journalists and citizens, and enhance self-censorship.
Recommendations:
MADA condemns once again all violations against Palestinian journalists. And we demand the international community to pressure the Israeli government to stop its continued attacks, the release of detainees in Israeli jails, enabling journalists to cover events freely and safely, and to respect freedom of expression which is guaranteed by international laws and conventions, especially with the escalation of such violations which constitute real threat to the lives and safety of journalists.
MADA calls upon the relevant Palestinian authorities in the West Bank and Gaza Strip to respect freedom of expression, to stop abusing journalists, and to stop torturing journalists in the Gaza Strip, which constitutes a flagrant violation of human rights. While we again welcome the decision to pardon Hamamra and Awad, by the President Mahmoud Abbas, we ask him to terminate the articles - in the Jordanian Penal Code, which is in force in the West Bank - that allows the imprisonment of journalists and citizens for expressing their opinions and for their journalistic work.
Details of violations:
(1/3) targeting the photo journalist Jihad Alqadi by the Israeli Occupation during his coverage of the clashes between Palestinians and the Occupation forces at the Ofar Prison, near Ramallah. Alqadi (23 years old) wounded by a bullet which entered his abdomen and exited his back, which caused him severe injuries in his colon and spleen, a mild injury in his liver, and bruises in his lower breastbone, this formed a major threat to his life and had to undertake an emergency surgery which lasted about four and half hours, according to his brother Khalid Alqadi who reported to MADA: “It was a difficult surgery and doctors were forced to eradicate part of the colon”.
(6/3) the Israeli Occupation forces arrested the freelance journalist Bakir Atili from his home in Nablus. Mays Atili, the journalist’s wife, reported to MADA that her husband was arrested from their home in Nablus, and until this moment no charges has been filed against him, and his arrest was extended. Mrs. Mays added: “According to Atili’s lawyer, the interrogation is over, and is currently at the Jalama prison, and so far there is no specific charges against him, and they are the old files where he had been arrested in 2004 for a period of two years. "
(7/3) Hamas homeland security in Gaza released the Chief Editor of Alshola Newspaper Sahir Alakra, but not until he was forced to sign a pledge “Not to the practice journalism at all and to close Alshola news website permanently”, and after the humiliating and inhumane arrest which lasted nearly three months. After Alakra was released he reported to MADA that he has been under arrest since the 3rd of December 2012, during which he was exposed to severe beatings, physical and psychological torture, and humiliation so severe that he was forced to drink urine. Alakra: “I have told the Attorney General about everything that happened and he promised me to form a commission of inquiry, and I am still waiting for the results”.
(7/3) the Israeli Occupation detained Raya FM correspondent Mahmoud Abu Khudeer, who reported to MADA that on Thursday 7th March around 8:15 am, that the car he was riding with his friends was stopped by an Israeli intelligence car - the officers were wearing civilian clothes- near the French Hill in Jerusalem. Khudeer thought it was a regular Israeli checkpoint, the car was stopped and their I.D was requested, then they were asked to move away from the car. Abu Khudeer: “Shortly thereafter they requested me to go with them; I told the officer you're wearing civilian clothing and you should introduce yourself, he told me his name and said he had a warning for my arrest, they then handcuffed us after an altercation between my friend and the officer, I then asked the officer to release my friend, and I was transferred to the Maskobya prison for interrogation. I was charged with “filming a demonstration without permission for filming”, even though the issuance of such permit is required for filming in military closed areas only. On the 6th March we headed to the Hebrew University to cover the peaceful solidarity stand with prisoners, the movement included several parties within the Green Lin. They considered the university a secure zone and I was forbidden to enter, even though I have graduated from this university. I was also questioned about a photo I had published on "Facebook" with a caption "this is how we will welcome Obama", which shows how the intelligence monitors these social sites”. Khudeer indicated that he was unable to call a lawyer or family until 11 am, and that the detention and interrogation lasted between 6 to 7 hours, then he was released after a decision for his banishment from Jerusalem for 50 days, in addition to a fine of 5000 NIS (approximately 1400 USD) in case he did not commit to the decision.
(7/3) at the Ofar prison in Betonia, the journalists were prevented from covering a solidarity demonstration with the prisoners. The Arabic Sky News cameraman Raed Al Hilo, reported on that day a group of journalists including (Arabic Sky News correspondent Firas Lutfi, Ma’an TV correspondent Firas Etnina, Ma’aan photographer Ashraf Kotkot, and Associated Press photographer Majdi Ishtaya) went to cover the event, and that when Occupation soldiers went to cover the event, and that when Occupation soldiers attacked them directly with gas and sound bombs. Al Hilo added: “There was a heavy presence of journalists, the Israeli officer in charge gave us only 5 minutes (journalists and protesters) to evacuate the site, and we were asked to go beyond the stone cubes, which lie approximately 60 meters from the location, they continued to fire gas and sound bombs at everyone there, while a group of 3 soldiers targeted the journalists, and that’s when Ma’an correspondent was hit in the back, a gas bomb landed between our feet and another on the Agency’s broadcasting vehicle, which could have burnt the vehicle if it hit the Gasoline tank, in addition the Broadcast engineer who was inside almost suffocated. I approached the officer and asked: how was my presence an issue to him? He told me to move away or I will be arrested. He moved away when I continued my argument, the clashes lasted for a half an hour”.
Ma’aan photographer Ashraf Kotkot reported: “we were at the Ofar prison to cover the solidarity demonstration with prisoners; there were a number of peaceful protestors and a large number of journalists, it was just a peaceful protest in front of the prison gate. Then came about 10 soldiers, along with 3 officers and asked everyone to evacuate the location within 5 minutes, the request was directed to journalists before the protestors to evacuate the site. We refused to move, because it is our right to cover the event”. Kotkot added: “a soldier started counting threatening us to move, as they prepared the gas and sound bombs, and the direct targeting of journalists began when they started pushing us to the back before moving the protestors, who were only 500 miters away from the soldiers, everything that happened is on film. Once the five minutes passed 4 gas and sound bombs were shoot directly at the journalists on site,our crew were affected and the bomb broke their equipment, targeting the journalists was repeated 3 times, and each for at least 3 minutes”.
(8/3) the injury of photographer Mahfouz Abu Turk, with a rubber bullet fired by the Israeli Occupation Forces in Jerusalem. Abu Turk reported to MADA that on Friday he headed to Al-Aqsa Mosque to cover the Friday prayers, after the prayers a peaceful demonstration started against the desecration of the Koran by a member of the Israeli police, and clashes broke between Palestinians and the Occupation forces when they started firing heavily at the protestors gas and sound bombs and rubber bullets. Abu Turk added: “I continued to follow up and cover the events, and I witnessed clashes with the police near al-Huttah gate, I filmed few scenes while standing on the right side of the gate, once the clashes settled I tried to walk to the left side of the gate, and that’s when they fired rubber bullets in my direction and I was injured in my head near my right ear, I was bleeding and in pain, few young men carried me out from Al-Asbatt gate and took me to Almakaseed Islamic Charitable hospital, I was treated with three stitches, and once I rested I went home, but I was still in pain”.
(8/3) Yedioth Ahronoth Newspaper photographer Atta Oweisat was injured with a hard object in his face during his coverage of clashes between the Israeli Occupation Forces and Palestinian worshipers at Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, which caused him significant injuries and a broken jaw. Oweisat reported to MADA that he was hit with a hard object might have been a gas or sound bomb fired from the Israeli police direction, which caused him heavy bleeding from his mouth, and he lost balance and feel to the ground. Oweisat added: “worshipers took me to the clinic inside the mosque and there I realized the difficulty of my condition from the extreme pain and bleeding, so I asked them to take me to Al-Maghariba Gate to request the police to call an ambulance to take me to a hospital. But the police denied my request to help me, and the officer ordered them not to call an ambulance, so I went by foot to the Buraq Square to call my friend who called an ambulance. At the hospital I found out that I am suffering from a broken upper jaw and a large wound in the lip and lost five teeth. I undergone a lip surgery and several stitches, and I need to proceed with a cosmetic lip surgery and dental implants”.
(8/3) on Friday, Alaqsa TV correspondent Tareq Abu Zaid was arrested by the Israeli Occupation Forces, during his coverage of the weekly anti-settlement protest in the village of Kafer Kadoum in Nablus. His father reported to MADA that the occupation forces is charging Abu Zaid with throwing rocks on Israeli soldiers during the event, however, there is a video which documented the arrest, where he was holding the camera and filming.
(9/3) the Israeli Occupation Forces detained Watan TV correspondent Hamza Alsalayma while he was preparing a report on the suffering of a Palestinian family on the hands of settlers in Hebron, on Saturday. Alsalayma reported to MADA that they were filming in the family’s home about their daily suffering and continues attacks by settlers, and when they moved to the house roof, settlers were watching them then started cursing, sprayed waste water, and threw eggs at them. The Palestinian house owner got into an argument with the settlers. Alsalayma added: “When we came out of the house a group of Israeli border guards and army were present, I was arrested and taken to the interrogation center nearby. I told them that I am a journalist, but the officer dismissed the fact and told me that he does not care and filming in this area is not allowed, we argued, and then I was released after 4 hours”.
(10/3) the Israeli Occupation Forces arrested the journalist Waleed Khaled the Office director of”Felesteen” newspaper in the West Bank; he was arrested at his home in Sakaka village near Salfit, north of West Bank on Sunday. His father reported to MADA that about 30 occupation soldiers came to their home around 1:30 am they searched the home then arrested him, he is now at Al-Jamala prison. The father added: “he is still under arrest with no charges. They searched the house until 3:40 am that morning, but did not confiscate anything”.
(10/3) The Palestinian intelligence services arrested the journalist Tareq Alsoukarji from Nablus. His mother reported to MADA that her son, a freelance journalist at Aljazeera TV and a TV director, was arrested by the intelligence services, he was arrested at a supermarket. He was released the next day. Later he wrote in his facebook that he has been called and arrested by the intelligence several times in the past.
(20/3) The President's Special Guard and the presidential Headquarters ( Almoqata’a) security prevented a group of Palestinian journalists to enter the premises to cover the USA president Barak Obama’s visit to Ramallah. 18 Palestinian journalists were forced to wait at the premises gate for more than 2 hours waiting to enter, but in the end they were not allowed, despite that all the journalists had permission cards. The France Press Agency photographer Abbas Elmoumani reported to MADA: “I don’t understand why they acted that way, me and my colleagues requested permission to cover and we were given permission cards and a number allowing us to enter, but the security denied our access”. Watan TV manager Moa’amar Arabi reported to MADA that the security prevented the TV crew from entering, and after calling few people only one person was allowed to enter, while the rest were denied access.
(24/3) the Israeli Occupation Forces detained a group of Journalists near Beit Yashai Israeli settlement near Hebron, while preparing a journalistic report on the suffering of Sameer Abu Aisha’s Family by the settlers, on Sunday(24.3.2013). The Ma’an TV reporter Abd Ala’zeez Noufal reported to MADA that Aljazeera TV crew and he headed on that day to Hebron. Noufal added: “me and the journalist Ahmed Alshiekh Khalil and photographers from a media services company from Nazareth headed to Martyrs street, then headed to Beit Hadassa, but the Israeli soldiers prevented us from continuing the journey, so we rerouted through the fields to Sameer Abu Aisha’s home near Alramida Hill, which is surrounded by Israeli army camps (Human rights institutions call this house the caged house because it is surrounded by iron fences and entry is not allowed without prior permission) after we reached the house we were attacked by settlers, then Israeli soldiers took our I.Ds and detained us at the sight for 2 hours, then they released any journalist who hold a Jerusalem I.D and the Israeli journalist’s house I.D. my friend Jawad Abu Aysha and I were detained for another 2 hours, then we were transferred by a police car to a nearby interrogation center near the Kyriat Arba settlement”.
Noufal added: “they interrogated Jawad Abu Aysha then released him after he said he was visiting his uncle Sameer Abu Aysha, and that he visited the closed factory near his uncle home, and that he owns property there. I was interrogated based on charges of entering a closed military area, and I was asked to sign a statement on that, but I refused for 3 reasons: there is no reference point as a closed military zone, I was also attacked by settlers and when the soldier asked me for my identity I handed it to him without discussion, in addition to my press card, and I was present in the area for professional journalistic mission. I did not break any law and therefore did not need to sign the statement, and then I was told by the officer that I will be trialed at a military court on 10th June and will have to pay 1000 NIS bail (approximately 270 USD)”.
(24/3) on Sunday, the Occupation soldiers prevented a group of journalists from covering the raid on Ahfad Younis Village near Jerusalem. The French Agency photographer Nasser Alshiokhy reported to MADA that the occupation forces prevented their cars to reach the village, and they were forced to walk about 2 km to get there. Palestine today TV correspondent said that since their broadcasting cars were not permitted to enter the village, they were unable to film the raiding live. And that the occupation forces shined large headlamp lighting on the cameras and photographers, making filming impossible. Watan TV manager Moa’amar Arabi reported to MADA that one of the soldiers pushed him to the ground during filming.
(29/3) the detaining and brutally assaulting the photo journalist Muhammad Alfateh Abu Snina by the Israeli Occupation police in Jerusalem. Abu Snina reported to MADA that on Friday he headed to cover “preventing the worshipers from entering Al-Aqsa Mosque”, “I headed to al-Silsileh gate, an area where few journalists are present since journalists usually head to Damascus gate. This was my 3rd Friday covering the area as I hold a Jerusalem I.D, and I am a resident of the old city of Jerusalem. I got through the first checkpoint and started filming from behind the policemen, and that is when I saw my younger brother and asked him to go home, then an Israeli policeman told me to leave and not to talk to anyone. I left the area and headed towards the mosque, and once I got close to a police station (about 2 m away) a police spotted me filming and requested me to approach him then took me into the station, then 3 policemen closed the station’s door and took my camera and started beating me with their fests and feet, I did not defend myself, they pulled me up from the ground and started shouting at me: why were you doing that? I answered that I was just doing my job, and I did not get in their way, but they continued to yell at me so loudly and tackled me to the ground and handcuffed me, then asked me for my I.D, all I could do was scream”. Abu Snina added: “I was beaten for 3 hours, and then I was seated on a metal chair with my handcuffed tightly, then the intelligence officer asked me to introduce myself, so I asked him to release my hands and that I hold him responsible for handcuffing me, which provoked him so he extremely tightened the handcuffs. Then I was beaten again, even the police who was responsible for my safety. He hit my head to a metal door, and then I was placed between that door and a wood board, then he brought a brush made out of metal and scratched my forehead, then the handcuffs were replaced and they made sure the new ones pressured the wounds on my hands”.
Abu Snina recalled that they took him to the interrogation center (the Qishleh station) near the Jaffa Gate, and he remained there for several hours, during which they accused him of incitement against the police and guiding young people in the field, and that he refused to show his I.D when the police asked for it, he denied these accusations and told the investigator that he only spoke to his younger brother which is clear in his video filming, and added: “they also accused me of injuring my own self by beating my own body, the interrogation lasted for a very long time, then I was told by the officer that I will be detained for 24 hours, then he dropped that statement and said: your case is not worth it, so they ruled my deprivation of access to the Aqsa mosque yards for 15 days, then called my father to pay my bail and then went to a hospital for treatment ".
(30/3) the European Agency photographer Abd Alhafeez Alhashlamoun was detained during his coverage of events on the 30th March Earth Day in the town of Beit Amr near Hebron, Alhashlamoun reported to MADA that he headed to cover the event, and when the Israeli Occupation forces arrived they prevented us from filming and ordered us to leave the site, Alhashlamoun added: “I was approached by a soldier who took my I.D and my press card, then inquired if I was wanted, and I wasn’t, despite that I was detained about two and half to three hours after the event ended”. Palestinian Public TV cameraman Eyad Alhashlamoun reported to MADA “we were at Beit Amr near Hebron to cover the Earth day events, then clashes broke between Palestinian young men and the Israeli soldiers, that’s when we were attacked; we were asked for our I.Ds, and the process to check them prevented us from covering, then they detained Abd Alhafeez Alhashlamoun, and prevented me from filming. The firing of gas and sound bombs was heavily directed towards us, and we shouted out that we are journalists, but the soldiers didn’t acknowledge the fact and only asked us to leave. One of the gas bombs hit the broadcasting car”.
(30/3) On Saturday, at the Israeli side of the Karamah Crossing border the occupation detained the journalist Mohammad Al-laham the presenter of a Ma’an TV show and the head of the Freedoms Committee at the Journalists Syndicate, charged with taking mobile photos of the site. Al-laham reported to Ma’an news site that the Israeli forces stopped him at the Karamah during his trip back to Palestine, accusing him of taking mobile photos of the site, which was not allowed so they confiscated his mobile phone and detained him for 4 and a half hours. Al-laham clarified that the occupation forces returned his mobile phone after they deleted all his contact numbers and photographs, and he was subjected to a full body search in addition to searching and tempering his luggage, and then he was released.
