Al Mezan Center for Human Rights, 24/08/07. Restrictions on the media work have substantially increased in Gaza recently. And so are assaults on journalists while covering events in the field. The Executive Force (EF), Hamas' main policing body in Gaza, arrested four journalists today, Friday 24 August 2007. Members of the EF also beat a number of journalists and disbanded them violently as they gathered to protest attacks on them and restrictions on the freedom of the press. They also caused damage to two of their cameras while trying to seize them. Many journalists were present near the 'Unknown Soldier's' Park downtown Gaza City Friday afternoon in order to cover a mass prayers called for by Fatah movement. A large demonstration marched Gaza's main street after the prayers. Demonstrators chanted Fatah songs and waved Fatah flags. However, when it approached the central security compound of As-Saraya, some of them threw stones at the compound. Eyewitnesses, including journalists, told Al Mezan that the organizers attempted to stop those and to change the route of the demonstration. However, the EF's members opened fire in the air and chased the demonstrators to disband them. A few demonstrators were arrested. EF members also assaulted journalists.
Al Mezan's fieldworker reported that Khalid Bulbul, a cameraman working for Palestine TV, was arrested, beaten and mistreated inside the As-Saraya compound. Additionally, a group of men in civilian wear and carrying handguns chased the journalists Muhammad Al-Baba, AFP's cameraman, Mustafa Al-Baiyd, the cameraman of Russia Today TV, and Ibrahim Dahman, the cameraman of France 2 TV. They arrested them and took them into the same As-Saraya security compound.
Other journalists who were at the scene told Al Mezan that they saw Muhammad Al-Baba being apprehended inside a Magnum Jeep used by the EF, and being beaten by EF members. They said that they saw Al-Baba's head outside the vehicle and heard him crying for help when one of his captors slapped him on the face. Mustafa Al-Baiyd was also beaten.
Another journalist, Abdul-Rahman Shana'a who works for Reuters, gave an affidavit to Al Mezan in which he said EF members tried to stop him and opened fire over his head as he tried to escape from them. He said EF members tried to take his camera and that it was damaged. Another journalist, Ahmad Hassouna, who works for the German TV ZDF, was also beaten and had his camera damaged.
Journalists Al-Baba, Bulbul, Al-Baiyd and Dahman were detained in an EF office. In their affidavit to Al Mezan they said that an EF officer asked them to appear on the Al-Aqsa TV (which is run by Hamas) and refute the news that they were detained or beaten. They said they refused to do so and assured him that they would say the truth about what they had experienced. They were released one hour after their arrest. They were also given back their video tapes. The EF asked them to return copies of the tapes. One journalist, Al-Baiyd, said that EF members refused to let him eject the tape from his camera and that they damaged the camera when they tried to take the tape out of it.
Al Mezan Center for Human Rights expresses its solidarity with the journalists in Gaza and its full support for them in their efforts to carry out their legitimate duties. The Center emphasizes the importance of the role of free press in the promotion and protection of human rights and democracy in Palestine.
Al Mezan, while denounces the throwing of stones at the As-Saraya compound, condemns the use of unnecessary force by the EF and particularly the assaults on the journalists while covering the event. Despite the frequent announcements by the EF's spokespersons, in which they assert their respect of the media and journalists and describe the attacks on them as 'individual mistakes', such attacks have routinely occurred in Gaza.
Al Mezan calls for respecting the freedom of the press. Without freedom, the press cannot play its role towards democracy, combating corruption and promoting human rights. It will only be a stage for incitement and fueling internal struggles.
Al Mezan therefore strongly condemns all the conducts infringing upon the freedom of the press and expression in the Palestinian society. It calls for an immediate halt of such assaults by the EF and all restriction on the freedom of journalists to pursue their duties. No journalist should be subjected to detention or assault solely because of his/her profession. EF's members who are involved in such conducts, whether by ordering or committing them, must be held accountable before the law.
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