Gaza, June 9, (Pal Telegraph) - Last May witnessed continuing violations against Palestinian journalists, especially by the Israeli occupation authorities, which included the arrest of journalists Azmi Ash-Shioukhi, Ahmad Jalajil and his assistant, Raed Sarhan, the injury of Abdel-Rahman Khabisah and the closure of a Palestinian media center in Jerusalem.
The Israeli occupation authorities continued to impose house arrest and resumed the trial of the Alalam Television correspondent, Khader Shahin, and producer, Mohamed Sarhan, since the fifteenth of last December .
Security forces have arrested cameraman Osaid Amarneh and kept journalists Mustafa Sabri and Murad Abu Al-Baha under arrest since last April, There is information that those journalists were exposed to torture
MADA Center condemns all attacks against journalists by the Israeli occupation forces, and the arrests of journalists by the Palestinian security apparatuses, and it demands the cessation of all attacks against journalists, and the release of those detained.
Details of Violations:
(May 1) - General Supervisor of Palestine Media and information Network Azmi Ash-Shiukhi was arrested by the Israeli occupation forces. Ash-Shiikhi said that he was arrested with a number of participants in the weekly march against the apartheid Wall in Al-Mia'sara village south of Bethlehem. They were harrased during the arrest as well as after transfer to the police station in Kfar Etzion. Ash-Shiukhi has been investigated for participating in the march and accused of incitement to organize demonstrations against the construction of the wall and settlements.
The day following his arrest, he was placed in solitary confinement because of his call for prisoners to go on a hunger strike in protest against the ill-treatment, food and clothing. Ash-Shiukhi has been brought five times to the trial before Ofer court for charges of incitement. He was released on the thirteenth of May, after being sentenced for one year in prison with a stay of execution. He was prevented from participating in marches, and fined twenty thousand shekels (about five thousand dollars).
(May 11) - The Palestinian Information Office was closed in the city of Jerusalem, by the Israeli occupation forces. Lawyer, Ahmed Ar-Rwaidi, said that an Israeli security force raided the Ambassador Hotel, where the Center was established to cover the visit of Pope Benedict XVI and handed him an order from the Israeli Minister of Internal Security to close the Center. The force also confiscated property of the Center such as files, papers, and the sign. He indicated that the Hotel's Hall had been rented for the establishment of the Center due to Palestinian journalists being prevented from covering the Pope during his tour in Jerusalem. The center intended to give personalities and institutions of Jerusalem the opportunity to express their opinions.
(May 18) - Cameraman Osaid Amarneh was arrested by the Palestinian Preventive Security in Bethlehem. His family said he received a notice from the Palestinian Preventive Security. He reported to work at ten o'clock where he was arrested and exposed to torture the first day. The day next, he was transferred to regular rooms in the prison and visited by his family. The family had been told by the Preventive security that there are no charges against him, but he was held due to the political situation. Osaid was arrested several times by the security forces and forced to sign a pledge not work for Al-Aqsa Television.
(May 29) - Associated Press cameraman Abd Ar-Rahman Khabisa was injured by the Israeli occupation forces in the village of Bil'in west of Ramallah. Khabisa said he was covering the weekly march against the Apartheid Wall in Bil'in village when the Israeli soldiers fired a gas canister at him which hit him between his legs resulting in burnt clothes and a slight burnt at the top of the legs. Later he moved about ten meters away from the location in which he was filming. Ten minutes later the soldiers shot him with a sound grenade that burnt his abdomen. He was transferred to Skiek Zayed hospital in Ramallah for treatment. Khabisa confirmed that the bombs were fired at him by the soldiers deliberately.
(May 29) - Palestine Media and Communications Company cameraman Ahmed Jalajel, and his assistant, Raed Sarhan were arrested by the Israeli police in the city of Jerusalem. Jalajel said that he was filming inside Al-Aqsa Mosque on that day and departed from Al- Asbat Gate around one p.m., approximately twenty policemen were waiting them. They confiscated the camera and cellular phones, arrested them and transferred them to nearby police station.
Police were investigating how they brought the camera into the Mosque. One hour later, they were transferred to another police station in the old city where investigation was resumed on filming inside the Mosque which is prohibited without police permission. He told the police, "we entered as journalists and it is our right to film".
They were released around five o'clock in the evening after signing a financial guarantee of 3000 Shekels (about 750 dollars) and an order preventing them from entering the Mosque for a 15 day period. Moreover, they have been notified not to enter Al-Aqsa during the 15 day period under threat of arrest..
Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA)
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