On Wednesday,7th of August 2019, the Media Center at Al-Najah National Center with the partnership of the Press House, conducted a dialogue meeting at Al-Yasmeen Hotel at Nablus, entitled “ The Freedom of Opinion, Expression and Peaceful Assembly”, among the presence of selected journalist from both gender of different institutions
The dialogue was moderated by Dr. Omar Rahal, who raised issues related to the subject of this meeting and had been discussed by the attendant journalists, explaining that the freedom of opinion, expression, press and peaceful assembly is an essential driver to establish the legal state, which considers a real indicator that reflects the political will to guarantee the public freedoms in line with the international human rights standards. Where Opinion, expression, press, and the right to access information are essential elements for reaching the modern society.
The Journalists were unanimous in rejecting intolerance and hatred and the refusal to accept the others, stressing that these trends threaten these values, which in turns threatens to lose the freedom of opinion and expression itself, which can only exist within the framework of tolerance.
The dialogue summed up that the freedom of expression grants others the right of opposition, with the existence of political pluralism exercised within a legal framework that ensures a balance between security, freedom and the right of opposition and difference. Noting that in the democratic system the intellectual, political, organizational and ideological pluralism are respected, where citizens enjoy the right to express themselves, in the political matters, in criticizing government officials, the system of government, and the economic and social situation, with impunity.
This meeting came up as a part of “Towards an Independent Media Platform for Capacity building, Awareness, and Involvement of Journalists” Project, which is implemented by the Press House-Palestine and funded by the Norwegian and Swiss governments.
