(CPJ/IFEX) – CPJ is deeply alarmed by recent efforts by the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) to silence print and broadcast media in the West Bank and Gaza. On 22 May and 23 May 1999, Palestinian security authorities arrested three journalists working for the Islamist weekly “Al-Risala” in Gaza in response to an article published in […]
(CPJ/IFEX) – CPJ is deeply alarmed by recent efforts by the Palestinian
National Authority (PNA) to silence print and broadcast media in the West
Bank and Gaza.
On 22 May and 23 May 1999, Palestinian security authorities arrested three
journalists working for the Islamist weekly “Al-Risala” in Gaza in response
to an article published in the paper’s 20 May edition about the Palestinian
police’s alleged torture of prisoner Ayman Amassi. The article cited
accounts from Amassi’s family saying that Amassi – who was recently
transferred from Palestinian custody to Gaza Hospital’s intensive care
unit – had been tortured by authorities despite official claims that he had
allegedly attempted to hang himself while in custody. The three
journalists – editor Wisam Afeefa, editor in chief Saleh Bardaweel, and
managing editor Ghazi Hamad – were taken to the Criminal Investigation
Department in Gaza for interrogation. Hamad was released on the night of 23
May; however, Afeefa and Bardaweel remain in custody.
CPJ is also concerned about official efforts in recent weeks to censor the
private broadcast media in the West Bank. On 17 May, Palestinian security
authorities ordered the Bethlehem-based Al-Rao’ TV to suspend broadcasting
in response to a 13 May broadcast of a play titled “Natrin Faraj,” which
authorities claimed incited “prejudice” between Christians and Muslims.
Staff at Al-Rao’ TV said that they were verbally informed of the closure on
17 May by Preventive Security Services (PSS), and that an official closure
order, signed by PSS chief Jabril Rajoub, was handed to them on 19 May.
For more than a year, Al-Roa’ TV has been the target of repeated official
harassment for its independent news coverage and programming. On 16 February
1998, the station was suspended indefinitely when more than 100 police
surrounded its headquarters and forced it off the air. Al-Roa’ TV had
earlier broadcast news about pro-Iraqi demonstrations in the West Bank
during tensions between United Nations weapons inspectors and Iraq and had
aired a program on which viewers were able to phone in to express solidarity
with Iraqis. The station remained off the air for five months and resumed
broadcasting in July 1998.
In a separate incident, Al-Roa’ TV was closed along with five other
television and radio stations on 18 December 1998, for one day, apparently
for broadcasting anti-U.S. views during the U.S.-led airstrikes against
Iraq. More recently, Al-Roa’ TV was forced off the air for two days in late
April 1999 after the official Palestine TV took over its broadcasting
frequency. Journalists at Al-Roa’ TV believe the move was prompted by
Palestine TV’s desire to exploit Al-Roa’ TV’s more powerful distribution
frequencies to the cities of Ramallah and Jericho. As a result of the
measure, Al-Roa’ TV estimates that it spent U.S. $17,000 in new equipment to
accommodate a new frequency.
Another Palestinian station, the Hebron-based Amal TV, has also been the
target of harassment by Palestinian authorities in recent weeks. On 26 April
1999, Palestinian security authorities in Hebron verbally ordered the
station to suspend broadcasting for allegedly jamming the frequency of
Palestine TV. According to journalists from Amal TV, however, officials at
Palestine TV were unaware of any such jamming. Staff at Amal TV suspect the
closure was in reprisal for the broadcast of a program about the topic of
corruption in Islam or a story about a Palestinian man who had held his son
captive for several years in a cave in Hebron. The station resumed
broadcasting just over one week ago.
CPJ views the PNA’s arrest of Afeefa, Bardaweel, and Hamad and the closure
of Al-Roa’ TV as blatant attempts to silence the media in violation of the
right to free expression, as guaranteed by Article 19 of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights. Article 19 guarantees the right of journalists
and individuals to “seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through
any media and regardless of frontiers.”
Recommended Action
Send appeals to the president:
release
of Wisam Afeefa and Saleh Bardaweel and to immediately reverse the closure
imposed on Al-Roa’ TV in accordance with free expression guarantees under
international law
in the areas under control of the PNA
opinion freely, without reprisal
Appeals To
His Excellency Yasser Arafat
President
Palestinian National Authority
Al-Muntada, Gaza
Fax: + 972 7 821 672
E-mail: postmaster@mininfo.pna.org (Ministry of Information)
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
