MADA: MEDIA FREEDOMS VIOLATIONS SHARPLY ESCALATED DURING AUGUST

Ramallah, 27 Dzulqa’dah 1436/11 September 2015 (MINA) – August of 2015 witnessed a high rise in the number of media freedoms violations in Palestine, and recorded a huge leap compared to what was recorded during July, and when compared to all the months since the beginning of 2015, except for the month of June, which also witnessed a similar number of violations.

The Palestinian center for development and media freedoms “MADA” monitored 50 violations in August, a %194 increase compared to July, which witnessed 17 violations, Palestine News Network (PNN) quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting, Friday (11/9).

Taking into account that one of the violations monitored in August included 28 journalists from the Gaza Strip, who were prevented by the Israeli occupation from traveling to the West Bank to participate in a media conference, where only three journalists were allowed to travel to the West Bank and participate.

This increase in the number of violations monitored in August came as a result of an evident Israeli escalation in the suppression of media freedoms, where the occupation army and authorities committed 37 violations in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, or 74% of the total number of violations, while the various Palestinian sides in the West Bank and Gaza committed 13 violations.

MADA condemned all violations against journalists and the media, and called to hold those responsible accountable and put an end to all violations.(T/P008/R04)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)