CPJ condemns crackdown on broadcast media

(CPJ/IFEX) – CPJ is strongly condemning the Palestinian National Authority’s (PNA) closure of six television and radio stations in the West Bank. On 18 December 1998, Palestinian police ordered six private television and radio stations in the West Bank cities of Ramallah and Bethlehem to suspend broadcasting until further notice. The move has been widely […]

(CPJ/IFEX) – CPJ is strongly condemning the Palestinian National Authority’s
(PNA) closure of six television and radio stations in the West Bank.

On 18 December 1998, Palestinian police ordered six private television and
radio stations in the West Bank cities of Ramallah and Bethlehem to suspend
broadcasting until further notice. The move has been widely interpreted as
an attempt by authorities to silence news coverage pertaining to the current
U.S. military attack on Iraq, then in its third day.

Police verbally informed three Bethlehem-based television stations – Al-Roa’
TV, Al-Mahid TV, and Bethlehem TV – that they must suspend all broadcasts
immediately.
According to journalists, police failed to provide a written order or reason
for the suspensions. Three stations in Ramallah – Al-Watan TV, Nasr TV, and
the radio station Voice of Love and Peace – were also forced off the air
under similar circumstances. Unconfirmed reports suggest that the decision
to close the six stations followed a decision from the High Security
Council, which Yasser Arafat, President of the PNA, heads.

Broadcasters believe that the closures have come in direct response to their
coverage in recent days of the US military strikes, including their coverage
of anti-U.S. sentiment and expressions of sympathy with Iraq from
Palestinians. According to the Associated Press (AP) “Al-Watan TV had
broadcast pro-Iraqi interviews; Al-Nasr TV had broadcast nationalist music;
and the Voice of Peace had devoted its broadcasts on Thursday to a popular
nationalist Iraqi singer.” Al-Roa’ TV yesterday aired a live panel
discussion which heavily criticized U.S. President Bill Clinton for the
military strikes.

Today’s incidents are reminiscent of restrictions imposed on broadcasters
last February when the Ministry of Information, in a directive issued to the
Palestinian media on 15 February, banned all broadcasting of opinion and
analysis about the standoff between United Nations weapons inspectors and
Iraq. Journalists and observers at the time interpreted the move as an
attempt by the PNA to curtail media coverage of pro-Iraqi sentiment among
Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza. Authorities said that the purpose of
the ban was to safeguard “higher Palestinian national interests and for the
sake of protecting Palestinian security.” One day after its imposition, more
than 100 police surrounded the offices of Al-Roa’ and forced the station to
suspend broadcasting. Al-Roa’ had earlier broadcast news about pro-Iraqi
demonstrations in the West Bank and had aired a program where viewers were
able to phone in to express solidarity with Iraq. On 18 February,
Palestinian police chief Ghazi Jebali asked television and radio stations to
sign a pledge that they would refrain from broadcasting “any news or footage
of mass demonstrations or any other sensitive materials,” or face closure
(see IFEX alert of 18 February 1998).

In a separate incident on 18 December, authorities from the PNA’s Anti-Crime
Unit ordered the closure of the Associated Press’ (AP) Gaza bureau after
informing local
staffers of the decision. According to AP, no explanation has been provided
for the closure.

Recommended Action

His Excellency Yasser Arafat

President

Palestinian National Authority

Gaza City, Gaza

Fax: +972 7 2873 744