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Samir Kassir Foundation, Aref Saghieh Bldg.( Ground Floor), 63, Zahrani St., Sioufi, Achrafieh, Beirut, Lebanon

[email protected] Address:-Tel /Fax: 00961 1 397334, Mobile: 00961 3 372717, E

Beirut, June 14, 2010

Report May 2010

SKeyes Report for the month of May, 2010, on violations of media and cultural freedoms

In May 2010, SKeyes monitored a number of issues related to the violations of media and

cultural freedoms in the four countries covered by SKeyes: Lebanon, Syria, Palestine,

and Jordan.

Lebanon

Many events related to violations of media and cultural freedoms were pointed out in

Lebanon. The most important ones, for this month, are the following:

- (3/5) Lebanese Publications Court issues a ruling against journalist Fares

Khashan

A sentence was issued by the Publications Court in Beirut, headed by Judge Rukoz Rizk

and the membership of counselors Nawal Saliba and Rouaa Hamdan. The sentence

served the imprisonment of former ambassador Johny Abdo and colleague Fares Khashan

for a month following claim of the Public Prosecution against them for charges of

defaming the former President of the Republic, Emile Lahoud, after an interview

conducted by Khashan with Abdo in February 2006. The verdict also fined the director in

charge of “Almoustaqbal” newspaper, the colleague Tawfik Khattab, with the amount of

fifty million Lebanese pounds. It should be noted that the verdict passed in absentia of

Abdo and Khashan but in the presence of Khattab, and that it is subject to appeal to the

Court of Cassation where it is expected to be recognized and addressed by Khattab’s

lawyers Fouad Shabkalo and Hamada Hamada, within ten days from the date of

notification.

- (5/3) Rulings against the newspaper “Daily Star”

The court also issued two rulings against the “Daily Star” newspaper, and its director in

charge Jamil Mroue and columnist Jim Quilty. These called to fine the last two with theamount of six million Lebanese pounds for the crimes of libel, defamation and fabrication

of false news and false accusations against “Senator Productions” and Nabil Joseph

Abbas. It compels them to pay one million Lebanese pounds as compensation for the

sake of plaintiffs.

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- (5/8) Postponement of concert reopens the subject of entry of 1948

intellectuals to Lebanon

The special concert of Palestinian composer, and Oud and Buzuq player, Khaled Jubran,

was postponed for five days, after it had been scheduled at the Tournesol theater in the

frame of the “Spring Festival” events. This was the result of a delay in granting him a

visa, a matter which brought back the discussions on the problematic entry of artists and

intellectuals of the 1948 Palestine to Lebanon to the forefront of the media.

It should be noted that Jubran and his sister Camilia (singer and Oud player) were

prevented from entering Lebanon in 2002, for the opening of “A Hundred Lives, A

Hundred Martyrs” exhibition, after the renunciation of Lebanese General Security to

granting them a visa as scheduled.

In an interview with SKeyes, the founder of the Tournesol Theater”, Roger Assaf

said: “the delay in Jubran’s arrival resulted from a confusion which was behind

the postponement in granting him an entry visa to Lebanon”. Assaf avoided

mentioning the real reason behind this delay: the fact that Jubran is a Palestinian

holding an Israeli passport. He also pointed out the role of both Ministries, of

Culture and Interior, in making Jubran’s visit to Lebanon possible “after great

efforts”. He called for linking the issue of granting entry visas for people who

work in the cultural field to the Ministry of Culture rather than to the General

Security, as is actually the case, and for establishing a general law which exempts

them from regulations pertaining to amusement centers and which will discern

between those who work in the field of dancing and commercial arts, and

intellectuals.

- (5/12) The “Muharrir” Magazine fined in the case of al-Samman

The Publications Court issued a ruling in the case filed by the novelist and poet Ghada al-

Samman against the “Muharrir” Magazine, represented by its General Manager and

editor-in-chief Nouhad al-Kadiri, the columnist Yassine Abdu Rifaia, and its director

Waddah Helou, for the crime of libel and defamation against her in an article published in

the magazine in 2006. The ruling called to fine Rifaia and Helou with an amount of onemillion Lebanese pounds and compelled them along with the AlMoharrer Company

represented by Nouhad Ghadiri, to pay the plaintiff jointly and severally the amount of

one million Lebanese pounds in personal indemnities.

- (5/12) Al-Mustaqbal fined for al-Sayyed’s case

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The Publications Court in Beirut headed by Judge Rukoz Rizk and the membership of

counselors Nawal Saliba and Rouaa Hamdan issued a provision in the case brought by

General Jamil al-Sayyed against the director of “Al-Mustaqbal” newspaper Tufiq

Khattab, and against Ayman Shourrouf, Abdel Salam Moussa, and the “Arab United

Press” (publisher of Al-Mustaqbal newspaper), for the crimes of libel and slander against

him. This was the result of an article published on January 28, 2009. The sentence, which

can be appealed, fined the mentioned colleagues with the amount of six million Lebanese

pounds for each one of them, and compelled them, and the “Arab United Press”, to pay

the plaintiff jointly and severally the amount of fifteen million Lebanese pounds in

personal indemnities.

- (5/23) Two young men from “Amal” and “Hezbollah” attack a team from

New TV Channel

Team members from the New TV Channel, including correspondent Dareen Daabus and

cameraman Mohammad Kalakash, were beaten and their camera broken by members of

“Amal movement” and “Hezbollah” in the region of Humin al-Fawqa in the Caza of

Nabatiyeh while they were covering the municipal elections in South Lebanon.

In an interview with SKeyes, Daabus said: “around 50 young men attacked the

cameraman and threw him on the ground, beat him and broke his camera. After

that, they pushed me strongly which made me fall back. Then, they disbanded when

security forces secured our way out of the region. Daabus also noted that someleaders of Hezbollah and Amal made numerous contacts with the TV channel in

the aim of bringing the event up in the media.

- (5/27) Geagea’s case against Daher transferred for perusal

The investigating judge in Beirut, Fadi al-Anaissi, transferred to the Public Prosecutor’sOffice the investigations which he conducted in the case filed by the current leader of

Lebanese Forces, Samir Geagea, against the President of the Board of Directors of theLebanese Broadcasting Corporation (LBC), Pierre Daher, and each of Salah Oseiran,

Marwan Khaireddine, Randa Daher, Maroun Jazzar, Marcel Daher, and Roula Saad, for

the crimes of breach of trust and smuggling of funds. Anaissi asked the public

Prosecutor’s office to present its final submission so that he may issue the indictment,and he decided to close investigations in the case.

- (5/31) Investigations in the lawsuit brought by Kassem against “Aliwaa”

newspaper

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Judge Majid Mzayhem began his investigations in the lawsuit brought by Hezbollah

Deputy Secretary General, Sheikh Naim Kassem, against “Aliwaa” newspaper for the

crimes of defamation and incitement, following questions raised by the newspaper aboutthe Ethiopian plane crash.

- (5/31) Israel attacks “Freedom flotilla” and detains Lebanese journalists and

activists

Israeli Special Forces attacked the “Freedom flotilla” aiming to break the blockade

imposed by Israel on Gaza Strip since 2007. During the attack, carried out by Israelihelicopters and gunboats, nine Turkish activists were killed, one of whom holds a US

citizenship, and dozens suffered various injuries. Moreover, Israeli Forces arrested more

than 600 activists who were onboard, including five Lebanese citizens, namely Al-

Jazeera Lebanese correspondent, Abbas Nasser, and cameraman, Andre Abu Khalil, andboth activists Houssain Chakar and Nabil Hallak, in addition to the head of the Lebanese

mission to the “Freedom Flotilla”, Hani Suleiman, who was wounded in his leg duringIsraeli attack on the aid boat “Mavi Marmara” of the flotilla.

Syria

The month of May closed on a number of violations against Syrian activists includingtravel bans, website blocking, and repression and cracking down on Kurdish activists...however, the main event was the killing of two Kurdish soldiers during their mandatory

military service, amounting to forty deaths since 2004, according to SKeyes observations.

On the other hand, the corridors of the United Nations witnessed, at the beginning of thismonth, a discussion over the first report submitted by the Syrian Government to the

Committee against Torture, in the aim of showing Syrian authorities’ full respect for andcompliance with the provisions of the Convention against Torture that was signed and

ratified in July 2004. In addition to other reports filed by Human Rights Organizations tothe Committee against Torture which confirmed the escalation of serious violations

committed by Syrian Security Services in the past decades under a state of emergency

that has been in force since 1963, including practices of abductions, enforced

disappearances, arbitrary detentions, solitary confinements, torture and ill-treatments, anddeprivation of people with restricted freedom of legal assistance and medical care.

- (5/1) Syrian activist Suheir Atassi prevented from travelling to Lebanon

Syrian authorities prevented activist Suheir Atassi, head of “Jamal al-Atassi Forum” to

travel to Lebanon. Atassi was summoned several times for investigation by the StateSecurity Department in Damascus who withheld her identity card for several days, and

asked her to close down the “Jamal al-Atassi Forum” since she administers its electronic

version on Facebook. When she refused to do so, she was threatened with arrest and trial.

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- (5/3) Syrian Security Forces ordered not to grant any personal documents to

Kurdish activists before the approval from the State Security.

The State Security Department in Syria issued a statement, circulated in the Secretariats

of the Civil Registry in the province of Hassaka, with an order to refrain from issuing any

identity documents to Kurdish dissidents living outside the country without prior

permission from the State Security. Kurdish human rights activists considered that itcould be a prelude to the withdrawal of these dissidents’ Syrian nationality, especiallythat this prohibition affected members of their families as well.

In a recent interview with SKeyes, Fouad Aliko, a member of the Kurdish Yakiti party

steering committee, said that the aim of these procedures is to “put pressure on Kurds

to stop their political activity”, and he added “families of a number of Kurdish

expatriates referred to the Civil Registry Services and they informed them of this decision, however they did not receive any written notification. In fact, there are lists of

many names known to be active in the public affairs.” Aliko considered this matter to

be a direct response to their political activity and a message to all those who engage in

political action abroad that they will be accountable for it and subject to harassment.

With regard to the withdrawal of dissidents’ nationality, a lawyer and Human Rights

activist in Damascus said that this action does not have a legal ground, because the

Nationality Law defines certain cases where it is possible to revoke it from a citizen.”

Article 20 of this law stipulates the following: “A person shall be stripped of the

nationality through a judicial ruling if it is proved that he obtained his nationality by a false statement or by fraud. This also applies to those who obtained their nationality

through him.” The lawyer, who requested anonymity, added: “A citizen may be deprived of nationality according to a justified proposal by the Minister in certain

cases, for example, if he obtained a foreign nationality; or if he voluntarily entered the military service in a foreign country without prior permission from the Minister of

Defense; or if he shows activities in favor of a country that is in a state of war with the

Nation...” The lawyer pointed out that “none of the aforementioned cases applies to

any of the Kurdish activists abroad. At least, not one of them was officially informed of

the necessity to return to the country under the threat of being subject to the penalty of

revoking nationality.” It should be noted that most of those affected by this decision are

Kurdish activists including a very small number of Arabs and Christians. This decision also includes a number of Kurdish writers such as Dr. Banky Haju, Abdoul Baki

Youssef, Khalil Hussein, Shirko Abbas, and others.

- (5/4) Syrian Court calls on a person who has been dead for 12 years to testify

in the case of Muhannad al-Hasani

On the 4th of May, the Public Prosecutor’s Office in Damascus called on Mr. DaoudAchawa – father of Mohammad Amine Daoud Achawa who died in prison – to testify as

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a witness. He accused Mr. Mouhannad al-Hasani of inciting him to file a case against theMinisters of Interior and Defense for causing the death of his son under torture. The

hearing was adjourned until May 27, when the court decided to deny requests for hearingwitnesses on the pretext of irrelevance.

- (5/7) Detained Syrian lawyer and activist, Muhannad al-Hasani, receives the

Martin Ennals Award

The Jury of the Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights defenders (for the Middle East

and Africa), granted its award for 2010 to the detained Syrian lawyer and activistMuhannad al-Hasani.

The Chairman of the Jury in the Middle East region and Africa, Hans Thoolen,

described lawyer Muhannad al- Hasani as “a man of an exceptional courage, arbitrarily detained in unacceptable conditions for defending the rule of law and the right to organize a Human Rights organization.”

- (5/6) Two Kurdish soldiers killed during military service

The number of Kurdish soldiers killed during their mandatory military service in Syria

amounted to 40 deaths after the killing of soldiers Chabat Hasan Aliko, on May 6, and

Hassan Mohammad Diro, on May 30. Kurdish organizations for Human Rights said thatthe recurrence of such events of Kurdish soldiers being killed in the Syrian army, raised

concern and suspicion among their families, especially since the authorities did not set

out to investigate into such incidents and only claimed they were cases of suicide.

In the same context, the United Nations Committee against Torture expressed its concern at reports revealing that Syria has established secret detention

facilities under the command of Intelligence Services where inmates are

detained in solitary confinement and subjected to cruel treatment.The committee also cited several reports of torture, ill-treatment, and deaths in

custody and incommunicado detention of people belonging to the Kurdish

minority, who are mostly “foreigners” without papers, in particular political

activists of Kurdish origins. Moreover, the committee said that it “notes with

concern reports of growing trend of deaths of Kurdish conscripts who have died

whilst carrying out their mandatory military service and whose bodies were returned to the families with evidence of severe injuries.”

- (5/13) Military Prosecutor accuses Maleh of the crime of spreading false

news

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The Military General Prosecutor requested the conviction of lawyer and Human Rights

activist Haitham al-Maleh for the crime of disseminating false news aimed at weakening

the morale of the nation. The hearing was adjourned until 3/6/2010 for defense. It should

be noted that Haitham al-Maleh (79 years) holds a law degree and a diploma in

International Law. He started his career as a lawyer in 1957. He was arrested by the State

Security Department in Damascus, on 14/10/2009, and then the military police

transferred him to the military court.

- (5/20) Syrian Security Services arrest a Kurdish leader and transfer another

to the Military Court.

The State Security Department arrested Mohammad Abdi Saadoun, a member of the

Political committee of the Kurdish Azadi Party.

A lawyer and human rights activist told SKeyes that Saadoun was called

through the Education Department in the city of Malekeya to go for

questioning by the State Security Department in Qamishli. Since the moment of

his referral to the aforementioned department, no one ever heard of him again.

It is believed that the Security Services mentioned above have arrested and

detained him far from the outside world without an arrest warrant or a ruling

issued by the competent judicial authorities. To this day, his fate remains

unknown.

On the other hand, Mahmoud Safo, a member of the political bureau of the Kurdish

Left Party in Syria, appeared before the Individual Military Judge in Qamishli (5/30).

He was sentenced for being the leader of a secret association. His case was adjourned

before the Military Court until the 14/6/2010.

- (5/27) The trial of Syrian lawyer and Human Rights activist Muhannad al-

Hasani continues

The Syrian lawyer and activist Muhannad al-Hasani appeared before the Second

Criminal Court in a special session dedicated to determine the credibility of the

statements published by “Sawasiya” about the charges leveled against him. Al-Hasani

is the president of the Syrian Organization for Human Rights “Sawasiya”. He was

arrested on July 28, 2009 after multiple questioning sessions by the State Security

Department in Damascus. He was also disbarred on November 10, 2009.

- (5/27) Golan website blocked

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Syrian authorities blocked the Golan Website which is supervised and run by the “Golan

Association for the Development of Arab Villages” in the occupied part of the Golan

Heights, as well as the website “Dalilak” run by Mounir Samara. People in charge of the

website considered this blockage as “an attempt to bring confusion, neutralize and distort

facts, and steal information to convey it in the wrong direction.”

- (5/31) Assyrian teacher separated from her job for her political affiliation by

the Political Security Services

The Directorate of Education, Private Education Section, in the province of Hassaka –

northeastern Syria – issued a decision asking for the immediate separation of teacher

Evelyn Bachir Saadi (degree in English literature) from her job in the “Private School of

Freedom” in Qamishli. The school belongs to the Syrian Orthodox church whichprovides for the payment of wages and salaries to teachers, educators and other

contractors. Moreover, the Directorate banned the school from contracting her in the

future.

A leader in the Assyrian Democratic Organization in Qamishli said that “this

arbitrary and unjustified decision is related to her political affiliation and to the

political activity of her father, former deputy Bachir Isaac Saadi, who was a leader

in the Assyrian Democratic Organization”.

- (5/31) A journalist and a writer among four Syrian citizens arrested in the“Freedom Flotilla”

Israeli forces arrested Hassan al-Rifai, a correspondent from Al-Quds satellite TV

channel, the writer Shaza Barakat, the Archbishop of Jerusalem in exile Hilarion

Capucci, and the activist Mohammad Satalah, during their operation “Winds of Heaven”

against the “Freedom Flotilla” human expedition. The ship was loaded with humanitarian

and medical aid to Gaza Strip which is under blockade since 2007. The four detainees,

who were among more than 600 activists from more than 40 different nationalities, were

released on June 2.

The West Bank

Detention is no longer the only weapon raised in the face of freethinkers; this month new

phenomena appeared at the forefront of violations, namely: Military Courts, travel

banning, armed attacks, and pressure through twisted and pervert methods.

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This month closed on a number of violations carried out by Israel and the Palestinian

Authority against journalists, intellectuals and foreign peace activists, with innovative

methods of punishment represented by the issuing of Israeli racist laws to tighten the grip

on prisoners, with a total disregard of international conventions.

Following are the main events that took place in May in the West Bank.

- (5/2) Preventive Security Services release journalist Samed Dweikat after 22

days

The Preventive Security Services released the journalist Samed Dweikat 22 days

following his arrest. Dweikat was arrested on April 10, after being summoned for

interrogation at the Preventive Security headquarters, after which he was transferred toAljunied prison, in the western side of the city.

- (5/2) Cameraman of European “APA” agency injured in the head

APA photographer Muammar Awad was injured in the head after being attacked with a

tear-gas canister by Israeli soldiers. This happened during his coverage of the weekly

march which took off in the town of Beit Jala, near Bethlehem, against the apartheid wall.

Awad reported that “he was targeted by one of the occupation soldiers from a distance of

less than twenty meters, despite the fact that he was wearing a press uniform and holding

a camera.”

- (5/2) Israeli forces prevent the General Director of “Al-Haq” organization,

Shawan Jabarin, from travelling

The General Director of the Palestinian organization “Al-Haq”, Shawan Jabarin, was

denied his right to exit the Occupied Territory. Mr Jabarin had attempted to travel in

response to an invitation from the UN High Commissioner in Switzerland to participate

in a meeting on “International Human Rights Protection Mechanisms”.

The travel ban coincided with Jabarin’s appointment as Director General of “Al-Haq” in

2006. Despite his appeal to the Israeli High Court of Justice on five occasions to lift the

travel ban against him, the court upheld the ban on the pretext of file secrecy.

- (5/4) Palestinian Intelligence Services arrest cameraman Mohammad

Halayqeh

The Palestinian Intelligence Services extended investigations with the cameraman,

Mohammad Halayqeh, by four additional days, after they had arrested him in the

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aftermath of an interview which he conducted with the President of a village council in

the West Bank, who accused Halayqeh “of broadcasting the interview on the Aqsa TV

channel without telling him the name of the channel in advance”.

- (5/6) Israeli forces arrest the writer Walid al-Hodali

After being summoned at his home in Al-Bireh, the writer Walid al-Hodali was arrested

by Israeli Intelligence services.

Al-Hodali had spent twenty months in detention after filing a case to the Supreme

Court to protest against his prohibition to travel and to meet his children, whom he

has been deprived of seeing for over twenty years. He was released less than a year

ago while his case was dismissed on the pretext that he has already been jailed. His arrest came as a result for claiming his right to travel again.

- (5/8) Military Public Prosecutor arrests “al-Aqsa” Channel correspondent

The Military Public Prosecutor extended by one week the detention period of Samer

Rowaished, correspondent at al-Aqsa Channel, on the pretext of non-completion of

interrogation, eight days after his arrest at his house.

According to his brother, Hani Rowaished, “he was arrested because he works as a

correspondent for al-Aqsa TV channel in the West Bank. He has been in

incommunicado detention since his arrest, and is subjected to insult and moral pressure from the Palestinian Intelligence Services.”

- (5/9) Palestinian Security Forces arrests husband of journalist Louma

Khater to prevent her from writing

The Palestinian Authority’s Intelligence Services arrested Hazem K hodr Fakhoury, the

husband of writer and journalist Luma Khater. Khater considered this move as a way to

put pressure on her to prevent her from writing articles on the Palestinian political, social

and media situation.

- (5/10) Palestinian Intelligence Services release journalist Muhannad Salahat

The Palestinian Intelligence Services released the representative of the Palestinian

Human Rights Foundation “Rasd (Monitor)” in Jordan, journalist Muhannad Salahat.

Salahat was arrested three times, most recently on May 1, after being summoned to the

Palestinian Intelligence headquarters in Nablus without any specific charges leveled

against him.

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- (5/11) The Military Court in Nablus sentences the Human Rights activist,

Hassan al-Zagha, to two years imprisonment

The Military Court in Nablus sentenced the Human Rights activists, Hassan al-Zagha, to

two years imprisonment on charges of funding prohibited armed militias.

In an interview with SKeyes, al- Zagha’s wife, Siham Fatayer, said: “on

December 14, 2009, the Palestinian Authority’s Intelligence Bureau detained

and tortured my husband using the ghost method during his early days in jail.

Then they transferred him to another Security Service which is the Information

Bureau.” And she added “we do not know the date or the place of the hearing,

however, we have learned that he was sentenced to two years. This would be the

sixth time the court is held to pass the verdict but it was adjourned on each of the previous times.”

For his part, Anas Barghouthi, the lawyer of “Conscience” Foundation, who is

defending al- Zagha, noted that “the Palestinian High Court of Justice ordered

the release of al-Zagha based on the fact that the detaining party was illegal,

and cleared him according to a decision issued on May 12, 2009. But the

Security Services do not abide by the decision of the High Court.”

Barghouthi pointed out “the illegality of Military courts which level charges

with the same content to all defendants; charges ranging from opposing the Authority public policy, assisting prohibited armed militia, to possessing arms.”

He also underlined the fact that “the trial of civilians before Military Courts is

considered to be a flagrant violation of Palestinian law, and to this day,

“Conscience” documented the trial of 40 civilians by such courts.

He added “it is well known that once a ruling is issued by the Military Court

serving an imprisonment, the detainee is left with only two options in order to

be released: either a pardon issued by President Mahmoud Abbas personally,

which is almost impossible in the case of al-Zaghi, or an appeal against the

decision of the Military Court presented by the lawyer before the Palestinian

Constitutional Court, however the prevailing political will to uphold political arrests prevents this alternative from being doable. The lawyers do not usually

resort to the second option to avoid a decision that would reject the appeal,

which will be a legal precedent to which they will refer for future rejection of all

appeals against the verdicts issued by M ilitary Courts”.

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- (5/15) Israeli forces escalate the campaign of arrests and assaults on

Palestinian Journalists

Israeli forces attacked “Al-Ayyam” newspaper editor, Ahmad Farraj, at the Hizma

checkpoint while he was headed for Ramallah City. On the other hand, “Alsharquiya”

channel cameraman, Ala’ Abul Sou’oud, was arrested, while the correspondent of

“Palestinian TV”, Harun Amayreh, suffered from suffocation as a result of gas inhalation.

They were both covering the Bil’in weekly march near Ramallah.

- (5/23) Israeli forces target foreigners in solidarity and journalists in the city

of Beit Jala

Israeli Forces escalated the pace of attacks targeting foreigners in solidarity, activists, and journalists who were covering peaceful sit-ins against the construction of the separation

wall. Three foreigners in solidarity suffered bruises and wounds, while eight others were

arrested. A Palestinian journalist was also wounded. Israeli assaults took place during a

popular demonstration against the separation apartheid wall and land excavation in the

city. The march was called by the National Committee Against the Wall and Settlements,

with the collaboration of the Popular Committee against the Wall and Settlement

Expansion in Bethlehem.

- (5/23) Two new Israeli racial laws punish thousands of Palestinian prisoners

The Israeli Ministerial Committee endorsed the so-called “Shalit Law”, aimed at

aggravating the conditions of detention of Palestinian prisoners “who will be treated with

the same detention conditions as soldier Shalit’s” according to the words of Israeli

sources. This Israeli law is a precedent to allow violations against Palestinian detainees

and is at odds with International conventions and laws.

Among most important infringements against Palestinian prisoners: “they will be

totally barred from their right to family visits and access to lawyer. Allowed visits

will be restricted to Red Cross representatives with a limit of one visit every three

months. Detainees will be deprived from watching TV, continuing their education,

and reading books and newspaper. They will also continue to suffer solitary

confinement as a means for punishment for unlimited periods. Moreover, prisoners

will not be allowed to purchase their needs and will be subjected to constraint.

- (5/29) Israeli forces target reporter with a tear-gas canister in Iraq Burin

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Israeli forces attacked the reporter of “WAFA” and “Chinese News” agencies, Ayman

Nubani, by throwing a tear-gas canister on his leg causing him bruises and burns. The

incident took place while he was covering a peaceful demonstration in the village of Iraq

Burin near Nablus.

Nubani said “I was standing with a group of journalists and cameramen

relatively far from the demonstration. We were using sophisticated lenses in

order to take pictures distantly because one of the Israeli occupation soldiers

threatened to hurt us if we stayed in the village and filmed the events taking

place there. Although we were far from the center of events and wearing anti-

gas masks and bulletproof jackets, we were targeted with more than five tear-

gas canisters.

In a related event, the vice-president of the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate,

Omar Nazzal, said in a statement issued by the Syndicate: “The Journalists

Syndicate is preparing a legal file on violations of Israeli occupation forces

against journalists and media, in the aim of later bringing it to international

judicial bodies and Human Rights and freedom of opinion organizations as well

as international journalists bodies.”

Gaza Strip

The brutal assault carried out by the Israeli gunboats and battleships on the boats belonging to the “Freedom Flotilla”, carrying medical and humanitarian supplies to Gaza

Strip, overshadowed all other events on the Palestinian and international levels. During

the assault various types of excessive military force as well as live ammunitions were

used against activists in solidarity, Human Rights activists, and unarmed civilians, which

resulted in 19 deaths and dozens of injured. The gunboats towed the ships by force to the

port of Ashdod, and they started arresting everyone on board – human rights activists and

in solidarity, and journalists – and then they threw them in prison No26 which was all set

and equipped two weeks ago for that purpose, while Israeli authorities imposed a

complete media blackout on the results of the “massacre”.

The series of violations against media and cultural freedoms in Gaza during the month of

May came as follows:

- (5/3) Attack on the “Palestinian Center for Communication and

Development Studies”

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The Palestinian Center for Communication and Development Studies was attacked by

unidentified gunmen who broke into the office located in Palestine Tower, Central Gaza,

in broad daylight. They stole two laptops, one of which belonging to the journalist Asma

al-Ghul, SKeyes’ correspondent in Gaza, and the second to the Center. The police was

called and came on the spot. They examined the place and conducted investigations into

the incident; however they did not bring any new facts on the case until today while the

perpetrators are still unrevealed. The incident sparked a massive wave of condemnation

among Human Rights organizations and civil society institutions, which expressed their

fear to see this phenomenon spread, and also their solidarity with the Center, asking the

Palestinian police to rapidly uncover the perpetrators and bring them to trial.

- (5/5) Arrest of a journalist from “Keffiyeh Press” on charges of spreading

rumors

Ihab Al-Ghussein, the spokesman for the Interior Ministry of Hamas deposed government

in Gaza, declared that the security forces in Gaza arrested a journalist working for the

“Keffiyeh Press” of the Fatah movement, on charges of spreading rumors. Ghusseini said

to Hamas’ “Al-Aqsa” channel that a journalist working for “Keffiyeh Press”, was

arrested and is under investigations, without any mention of his name or the place of his

detention.

- (5/17) Detention of media spokesman for the Fatah Movement Fayez Abou

Atiyeh

Interior Security Services of the Hamas deposed government in Gaza arrested the media

spokesman for the Fatah movement, Fayez Abu Attiyeh, who resides in Ramallah but

was visiting Gaza to receive condolences for the death of his father. A statement issued

by Fatah movement explains that the so-called Hamas’ Interior Security still violates the

personal freedom of Dr. Fayez, the media spokesman for the Fatah movement, as he is

daily detained for several hours and interrogated about the nature of his work as a

spokesman for the movement. The statement pointed out that Hamas Security confiscated

Abou Atiyeh’s identity card as well as his cell phone “as soon as he left the Israeli

checkpoint at Beit Hanoun. On May 22, Fatah declared that Hamas Security forcesplaced him under house arrest.

- (5/20) Journalist Assaad Saftawi summoned and placed under house arrest

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Investigation Services of the Hamas deposed government in Gaza summoned the young

columnist Assaad Saftawi for publishing an article in “Al-Ayyam” newspaper. He was

interrogated for long consecutive hours and released after signing a pledge to abstain

from writing any news that might “offend the Government in Gaza”. Saftawi said that the

next morning he received a phone call from the unit itself informing him that he is placed

under house arrest for three days. A close source confirmed that he was summoned on

May 24 for interrogation and then released.

Also, in the same frame of events, the Investigation Services also summoned a person

working in the field of theater, who runs a gallery in Gaza, for interrogation. He was

severely beaten for some unknown reasons.

- (5/24) “The Independent Commission for Human Rights” prevented from

holding a workshop The Interior Security Agency of the Hamas deposed government in Gaza prevented the

“Palestinian Independent Commission for Human Rights” from holding a workshop titled

“The Reality of Rights and Freedoms... a Review of ICHR’s Report for 2009.” Aresearcher at the High Commission said that “The Interior Security Agency delivered a

notice to the manager of the Grand Palace Hotel, where the workshop was scheduled,

ask ing him not to allow the workshop to take place on allegation that it is not licensed.”He also pointed that the Director of ICHR, Mr. Jamil Sarhan, received a phone call from

the Interior Security Agency asking him to refrain from holding the workshop.

- (5/24) The prevention of a symbolic sit-in in solidarity with “URNWA”

The police of the Ministry of Interior of the Hamas Deposed government prevented the

organization of a symbolic sit-in on Gaza beach, called for by Palestinian NGO network,

civil society institutions, and Human Rights organizations, to support UNRWA and to

condemn the attack on its summer camp which was burned by “unknown” gunmen.The network condemned this decision and considered it as “a violation of the right to

peaceful assembly, and freedom of opinion and expression guaranteed by the Basic Law

and the Public Meetings Law” The network also pointed out that it followed due legalprocesses in organizing the sit-in and called upon Hamas deposed government in Gaza to

renounce to such decisions and work seriously to enforce public freedoms and human

rights”.

- May 31, Israeli warships brutally attack the “Freedom Flotilla”

Israeli gunboats and battleships brutally attacked the Freedom Flotilla carrying medicaland humanitarian aids to Gaza Strip, in international waters off the Palestinian coast.

Various types of excessive military force and live ammunitions were used during the

assault against activists in solidarity and unarmed civilians, who flocked aboard six ships

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loaded with aid from forty countries. The attack resulted in 19 deaths and dozens of wounded some of whom with very serious injuries, according to unofficial news

circulated by news agencies before communication was interrupted with the flotilla. TheIsraeli gunboats towed the ships by force to the port of Ashdod, in a clear operation of piracy, and started arresting everyone on board: passengers in solidarity, human rights

activists, and journalists.

The 1948 territories

Hadn’t been for the massacre committed by Israeli forces against passengers in solidarity

on board of the “Freedom Flotilla” at the end of May and the beating by Jewish

extremists of “Al-Jazeera” crew at the port of Ashdod, the arrest in the territories of 48,of the writer Ameer Makhoul, chairman of the Popular Committee for the Defense of

Political Freedoms, as well as officials from human rights organizations and civil societyinstitutions in occupied territories, would have been at the top spot in mainstream media.

The incident culminated with the submission by the Israeli Public Prosecution of a very

serious indictment against Makhoul accusing him of “contacting a foreign agent,espionage, aggravated espionage, conspiracy to assist the enemy, and aiding the enemy in

time of war”, a single day after the ratif ication by the Knesset of a new racial law to

withdraw the nationality from “those accused of espionage and terrorism”. On the other hand, Israeli Police continued perpetrating attacks on peaceful demonstrations in Sheikh

Jarrah and arresting Jewish Left-wing activists in solidarity with the people from the

Palestinian neighborhood whom properties are being confiscated by force by settlers,with the obvious support of the police, as well as other abuses and violations documented

during May which came as follows:

- (5/6) Arrest of Chairman of the Popular Committee for the Defense of

Political Freedoms with a gag order

Israeli police arrested the chairman of the Popular Committee for the Defense of Political

Freedoms in the 48 territories and the head of “Ittijah” association, the writer Ameer Makhoul, at his house in Haifa, at dawn. Israeli authorities imposed a gag order on the

case until May 11, when the Magistrates’ Court allowed part of the “severe securitycase”, as described by Israeli Police, to be unveiled. On May 12, the Magistrate’s Court

extended the detention period by five days, despite the Israeli Prosecutor’s request to

extend it by 12 days. On the other hand, the Court extended the detention of Dr OmarSaid, a political activist by four days, on suspicion of “espionage and contact with a

foreign agent”. Makhoul was denied his right to meet his lawyer from the moment of his

arrest, while Israeli police noted that “investigations in the case are ongoing with theknowledge and under the supervision of the Attorney General (the Government’s LegalAdvisor), the Head of Israeli Investigations and Intelligence Division, and the PublicProsecutor.

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- (5/12) Four Israeli activists arrested and fined with a decision to distance

them

Israeli police arrested four Israeli activists who were participating in a peaceful

demonstration in Sheikh Jarrah to protest against the takeover of Palestinian homes in the

area by extremist Jewish settlers. The settlers tore Palestinian flags carried by activistsduring the demonstration. They also beat and insulted them, and tried to stop them from

continuing the march. The clash escalated between protestors and the police who alleged

that the demonstration was illegal and that protestors acted violently. At around 5 P.M.,

the police arrested four of them and then released them at around 10 P.M. with a decisionto distance them from the area for 15 days and make them pay a bail of 10 thousand

shekels each. Three of them faced the charges of illegal assembly and breach of public

order while the fourth was accused of assaulting a policeman.

- (5/14) Israeli police arrest 14 Jewish human rights activists in Sheikh Jarrah

Israeli police arrested 14 Israeli left-wing activists, most of whom are organizers of the

weekly protest demonstration in Sheikh Jarrah. The protestors complained from thebrutality used by the police against them which forced four of the protestors to leave the

place for medical assistance. All of them were arrested Friday after noon at around 5 and

were not released until Saturday night at 1A.M. but they did not agree to sign the terms of

the release.

The activists were unanimous on the fact that “the way the police acted on“Jerusalem Day” showed, without a doubt, that it sees itself as a part of the settle r

movement in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in East Jerusalem. In fact, the

police allowed hundreds of settlers who came in buses from around the occupied territories to dance and celebrate at the center of the neighborhood, blocking roads

and sidewalks, and stirring up panic among Palestinians, while a group of leftist

activists were prevented to stand by the Palestinian residents claiming that their presence in the neighborhood is an illegal gathering.”

- (5/20) Official in charge of the 1948-territories prisoners file summoned and

placed under house arrest

Munir Mansour, official in charge of prisoners file in the Higher Arab Monitoring

Committee, former chairperson of “Ansar al-Sajin” (friends of the prisoner), and head of the “Arab Council for Prisoners and Released Prisoners” (which was closed by Israel

before it started its activities), was summoned for investigations in Karmiel by Israelipolice, on the eve of the festival in solidarity with Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails,

which was scheduled to take place on the 21st of May. At night, Mansour was transferred

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to Shefa’Amr police for interrogation which lasted hours and was placed under housearrest for three days, until May 23. However, he was called the next morning for

interrogation at the Karmiel Police as well, and then he was transferred to Shefa’Amr where he was detained for hours and released in the evening, after making sure that hewas unable to participate in the festival in solidarity with the prisoners.

- (5/20) 24 Arab Human Rights organizations condemn arbitrary measures

against Ameer Makhoul

24 Arab Human Rights Organizations and Associations expressed their deepest concern

at the arbitrary measures taken by the Israeli authorities against the writer Ameer

Makhoul, chairman of “Ittijah” association and of the Popular Committee for the Defense

of Political Freedoms in the 48 territories. They called Human Rights bodies within theUnited Nations and European Union institutions to intervene with Israeli authorities for

his immediate and unconditional release, through a statement they issued earlier. They

also called Israeli authorities to end arbitrary measures based upon emergency regulationsfor the repression of Human Rights activists in the 48-territories, and to guarantee their

internationally recognized rights.

- (5/23) Israeli army confiscates album covers of artist Basel Zayed

Israeli army confiscated covers of artist Basel Zayed’s musical album “Adam”. Ithappened at “Attara” checkpoint where the album producer, Kareem Kilani, passed on

his way back to his hometown Um Al Fahem from Ramallah. The soldiers stopped andsearched the car, and they confiscated the album covers which were in the form of a CD

with titles that did not live up to the soldiers, who claimed that they were inciting against

Israel.

- (5/26) A racist law provides for the withdrawal of citizenship from those

“accused of espionage or terrorism”

In an emergency meeting and first reading, the Israeli Knesset ratified and voted by a

slim majority for the new racist law presented by the racist party “Israel Our Home”. This

law provides for the “revocation of nationality from citizens involved in espionage or

terrorism activities” after the lawsuits filed against the writer Ameer Makhoul, chairmanof Popular Committee for the Defense of Political Freedoms in the 48-territories andagainst some other officials of civil society institutions and Human Rights associations in

the occupied territories.

- (5/27) Israeli public prosecutor charged Ameer Makhoul with very serious

accusations

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A serious indictment submitted to the Haifa District Court against the chairman of thePopular Committee for the Defense of Political Freedoms in the 48-territories, the writer

Ameer Makhoul. Makhoul is being charged with “contacts with a foreign agent,espionage, aggravated espionage, conspiracy to assist the enemy, and aiding the enemy in

time of war”. The same day, an indictment against the political activist Dr. Omar Saeedwas filed before the Nazareth District Court attributing to him the offenses of “contactswith a foreign agent and the delivery of information to the enemy”. They both informedtheir lawyers that they vehemently deny these charges. The indictment against Makhoul

was based on confessions made during interrogations, while his attorney declared that

“these confessions were coerced through pressure and torture during interrogations.”

- (5/31) Attack on Al Jazeera’s bureau chief at the Port of Ashdod

A group of extremist right-wing Jewish activists beat “Al-Jazeera’s” Bureau Chief inPalestine, correspondent Walid Al-Omari, and the crew accompanying him which

included Majid Safadi and Maamoun Othman, while they were in the vicinity of the Port

of Ashdod covering the arrival of the “Freedom Flotilla” ships towed to the port byIsraeli warships. Al Omari was taken by an ambulance to a hospital to receive medical

treatment.

Al-Jazeera said that a group of extremist right-wing activists started throwing the special lighting pole – used by the crew for filming – which hit Al-Jazeera

correspondent directly in the stomach. And when he asked for help from the

police to secure the evacuation of the crew, he was assaulted even more brutally

and beaten several times on his head and chest. Subsequently, the extremists pushed his colleagues, Majid Safadi and Maamoun Othman, away from their

location and equipment. Later, the Israeli police secured a way out for the

crew’s cars, but a number of right -wing extremists attacked the cars as theywere leaving, and they started shouting, cursing, and knocking violently with

their fists on the car windows.

Jordan

The Court of Appeals in Jordan surprised everyone by issuing an unprecedented decisionin the Kingdom, asking not to crime a newspaper, its editor-in-chief, and its columnist,

with the crime of infringing the provisions of Articles 5 and 7 of the Press and

Publications Law, affirming the right of the journalist to convey information. This

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decision coincided with the abolition of the Supreme Court to stop the columnist AbdulHadi Raji al-Majali from writing. However, that did not prevent the Department of Press

and Publications from prohibiting the distribution of the novel “The Corpse”, by theJordanian writer Outhama Aknan, in the Kingdom, because it “offends religions”, nor did

it prevent Amman’s Public Prosecutor from transferring the case of the columnist

Moufek Mahaddin and the writer Sufian al-Tall, to the Amman Court of First Instance as

it stands for the Criminal Court. Details came as follows:

- (5/16) An unprecedented ruling in Jordan affirms the right of a journalist to

convey information

The Court of Appeals in Jordan issued a decision not to crime “Al-Meraat (The Mirror)”

Newspaper, its editor in chief, and its columnist, with the crime of infringing theprovisions of Articles 5 and 7 of the Press and Publications Law No 8 for the year 1998

and article 15 of the law relating to contempt of courts, without returning the case to the

Court of First Instance which convicted them all. This is considered to be anunprecedented ruling in the history of Jordanian judiciary as it affirms the right of the

journalist to convey information on the basis of the Universal Declaration of Human

Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

The lawyer, Mohammad Qutaishat, president of the Media Legal Aid Unit for Journalists “MELAD”, said that “this decision is considered to be a new victory for

the freedom of media, and a new judicial trend in press and publications cases,

towards more just relations with the media sector.” He also stressed that “this is a

precedent in the history of Jordanian judiciary in terms of the creation and establishment of the governance based on International Standards for the freedom

of opinion and speech, and in particular the International Covenant on Civil and

Political Rights. On the other hand, the decision added to the history of the Jordanian judiciary a democratic quality in terms of respecting what came in the

Universal Declaration of Human Rights that is considered a moral declaration and

not an obligatory one.” He added: “the decision cemented the “presumption of

innocence” in favor of journalists in the sense that i t freed them from the burden of proving all elements of crime to the public prosecutor, and that journalists are

primarily considered innocent until proven guilty.”

- (5/19) Press Syndicate overturns decision to stop journalist Majali from

writing

The Supreme Court of Justice in Jordan decided to overturn the decision made by the

Jordanian Press Syndicate which called for stopping the columnist Abdul Hadi Raji alMajali from writing and practicing journalism for six months, and also to overturn any

measures based on and resulting from the execution of that decision. Earlier in March, the

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Press Syndicate had taken disciplinary measures against al Majali in virtue of which hestopped practicing journalism for six months, following a complaint filed against him by

former MP Khalil Attieh.

- (5/19) Cases of journalist Mahaddin and writer al-Tall transferred to the

Court of First Instance

Amman’s Public Prosecutor transferred the case of the columnist Moufek Mahaddin, and

the writer and Human Rights activist Sufian al-Tall, to Amman Court of First Instance asit stands for the Criminal Court, with the same charges leveled at them by the State

Security Prosecutor, and which include “carrying out activities that might disturbrelations with a foreign country, stirring racial hatred, inciting through public speeches

the change of the current government, and carrying out actions that might undermine the

prestige and the status of the State.” Al-Tall was also charged with a fifth accusation,

namely “vilifying an official body (the army)” upon a lawsuit filed by retired military

agents against them last February.

- (5/30) The novel “The Corpse” by writer Outhama Aknan banned in the

Kingdom

The Department of Press and Publications distribution prohibited the distribution of the

novel “The Corpse” by the Jordanian writer Outhama Aknan, which was recently published by the Jordanian “Dar Ward” for publication and distribution, on the pretext of

“offending religions”.

Aknan said that the Department of Press and Publications informed him verbally of the distribution ban in the Kingdom after submitting his book to more than one

regulatory agencies, including the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs which

recommended its ban, and the Minister of Culture. He pointed out that the Department“based its decision on two reasons, the first being that his novel offends religions, and

the second being what it described as “using cheap sexual means”. He further stressed

that he has the right “to sue the Press Department”, referring to the “exi stence of a

clear double standard in the criteria adopted on books licensing or banning; it bans“The Corpse” while it allows the distribution of thousands of other books, including

“A Thousand and One Nights”, “The Da Vinci Code”, “The Yacoubian Building” , and others.

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