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Journalists Prevented from Covering Events, Al Mezan Condemns Violating Freedom of the Press

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5 March 2008 |Reference 31/2008

Samir Khalifa and Adel Az Za'anoun, correspondents for Palestine Television in the Gaza Strip, received a phone call from the spokesman of the Ministry of Interior of the deposed government to stop press coverage for Palestine Television.
In affidavits given by the journalists for Al Mezan, at approximately 4:00pm, on 4 March 2008, they received the phone call from the spokesman.
He explained that a decision was made by the deposed government prohibiting Palestine Television from media coverage in the Gaza Strip.
He added that Palestine Television correspondents are therefore not allowed to cover any events; including the Israeli attacks and their implications on Gaza's population.
Al Mezan Center for Human Rights condemns the decision preventing journalists Az Za'anoun and Khalifa from covering events in Gaza.
Al Mezan stresses that if this decision could incur far-reaching consequences on the freedom of the press in Gaza.
The resolution encroaches on the sovereignty of law, public liberties and freedom of the press, particularly the licenses established in the Palestinian Basic Law and the Law No.
9 (1995).
Al Mezan calls for removing any restrictions prohibiting journalists from performing their work in accordance with legal parameters, regardless the institution they work for; including Palestine Television.
Restricting journalists from covering events is violation violates the law and the right to freedom of opinion and expression and must stop.
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