MADA Demands an end to the threats against woman journalist Othman

Ramallah – 15th April 2014: the Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) condemns the threats and punitive measures taken against journalist Orouba Othman. Othman was working at Alray Press Agency which belongs to Hamas government, and she published a report in The Lebanese Al-Akhbar newspaper on howofficers in the security services in the Gaza Strip deliver Friday prayers sermons while in their military uniforms.

Othman reported to MADA that on 3rd April 2014 “I published my report titled “Gaza’s security officers are preachers in Gaza’s mosques” in The Lebanese Al-Akhbar newspaper, then Iyad Albazamthe Spokesman of the Hamas Ministry of Interior posted on his facebook that “ the report is full of lies”, then I was exposed to libel allegations against me as well as threatening letters sent to my facebook, and someone called “Raed Abu Jarad” from the Ministry of Interior who commented on a post I made on facebook saying that I “spit in the plate I eat from” because I work as part of a project in the Government media center, as well as other threats byanonymous people”.

Othman added:“In response to the report, I was informed by the Legal Affairs that my contract at the government media center will not be renewed, which is considered punitive procedures against me, and the Ministry of Interior submitted a complaint against me and that there will be a law suit against me by the public prosecutor”. She mentioned that The Lebanese Al-Akhbar newspaper had published a clarification that the introduction to the report which says (slowly fascism makes its way to Gaza, after a number of bizarre laws imposed by Hamas ......) was added by the editor of newspaper.

MADA confirms its rejection of the penalties or taken action against journalists and citizens for expressing their opinions, and demands an end to the proceedings against journalist Orouba Othman, especially that the Lebanese Al-Akhbar newspaper has already explained that the introduction to the report, which mentioned the "fascist" was added by the editor.