Bethlehem/PNN /
March has witness an increase in the number of violations against media freedoms in Palestine, the greater and most serious part thereof was committed by the Israeli occupation.
During March, the Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms "MADA" has documented a total of 53 violations against media freedoms committed by the Israeli occupation and other Palestinian authorities in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, where the Israeli occupation committed a total of 40 violations, while various Palestinian parties committed 12 violations, and " Facebook" Platform committed one violation.
Israeli Violations:
The number of Israeli violations against media freedoms in Palestine increased during March by 25% compared to February which witnessed 32 violations. The Israeli violations amounted to 40 constituting 75% of the total violations committed during the month.
Most of the Israeli violations documented were among the serious types against media freedoms, and constituted a continuation of the restrictions against the freedom of journalists and the media in light of the difficult conditions in which they work and aimed mainly at preventing coverage of various events taking place in a large proportion in Nablus, in particular, "Huwara".
Among the most notable Israeli violations during March was the issuance by the Israeli Minister of National Security "ITAMAR BEN GVIR" of a decision banning the work of "Palestine TV" inside the occupied territories of 1948 for a period of six months, and the storming of "Marcel Productions" Company that provides media services to the TV. This decision was followed by official summons for seven Jerusalemite journalists and their interrogation in "Room 4" of the Israeli intelligence service.
During the month, the detention of journalists scored the highest among all types of violations, with 15 violations, followed by preventing journalists from covering various events with 9 violations. MADA also documented the injury of a journalist with a gas bomb in the head and the targeting of another journalist with a rubber bullet in his left foot, while a third journalist was injured by a stone thrown at him by a settler in "Huwara" during field coverage.
In addition to the above, a journalist's car key was confiscated to prevent him from accessing the events in "Huwara", and materials belonging to another journalist were deleted. Furthermore, the crew of "Roya" TV was exposed to an attempt of run over by one of the military jeeps.
Palestinian Violations:
Palestinian violations against media freedoms in Palestine during March recorded a significant increase (12 violations) compared to February, which witnessed only two violations.
MADA documented 12 Palestinian violations committed in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, representing 23% of all violations during the month.
The Palestinian violations consisted of the arrest of 3 journalists: the journalist MOATH WASHHA, who was arrested by the Palestinian intelligence service for ten days after being summoned for an interview, the journalist WAHAJ BANI MUFLEH, who was arrested by the intelligence service after being summoned for an interview also for three days during which he was subjected to torture and ill-treatment, and a few days before, he was subjected to physical assault by members of the security services during the coverage of the funeral of a martyr in the city center of Nablus.
The police in Gaza Strip also arrested journalist HANI ABU RIZK for three days, during which he was beaten and ill-treated under the pretext of filming in the “Saraya” Area without getting a permit.
The most notable of the documented Palestinian violations is the storming of the headquarters of Watan TV, preventing the holding of the People's Coalition Conference "14 million", preventing journalists and staff from covering the Conference, and deleting video materials from one of their phones. This is in addition to the threats against journalist NAJLAA ZEITOUN from a fake account on Facebook.
Social Media Networks Violations:
Violations by social media companies during March were limited to one violation, represented by the warnings received by "Ultra Palestine" Page and restricting the content of its posts for two weeks before it could return to its usual activities..
