Gaza, 17/9/2015 --- Seeking to boost freedom of expression and the right to getting the information from an independent source, Press House organized "Face the Press" meeting about media freedoms via Jerusalem radio broadcast.
The meeting was attended by Iyad Al-bozum -the Interior Ministry spokesman-, Abd Elnasser Abu Oon-the manager of Jerusalem radio broadcasters-, Ahmad Fayyad -AlJazeera News reporter-, the journalist Ayman Al-aalool, the journalist Moshera Tawfiq Al-haj, and Sameer Zaqoot -Field Research Unit coordinator at Almeezan Center for human rights-.
Iyad Al-Bozum, the Interior Ministry Spokesman, confirmed that there are instructions given to all the security agencies, stressing on the importance of respecting journalists.
He stated that his ministry is in a charge of facilitating journalists tasks and helping them to work more efficiently.
Al-Bozum added that there are some obstacles which hinder the security men work, where they cant recognize the journalist, since so many activists own a camera, which leads to confusion.
He explained that despite of the instructions of being disciplined given to the security men, these things so often happen between journalist and security men.
Sameer Zaqout, Field research unit coordinator at the Mezan Center for Human Rights, said that the security men fear journalists cameras when there is a protesting activity taking place, where they do their best for not allowing any journalist to take any photo for media.
He also said that the instructions given by the Interior Ministry are not enough. No security man is allowed to investigate or abuse any journalist, where the government will stop and investigate those who are mistaken and do such things like these.
Through journalists interventions, more than one abuse to them were mentioned, asserting that there must be investigation committees that he doubts its efficiency of results.
The Interior Ministry spokesman replied the security agencies of the ministry do not pursue or even detain the journalists, pointing out that there is no shame on the security man when asking about the card of the journalists to make sure of their personalities.
In his turn, the journalist Ahmad Fayad confirmed that journalist rights are always violated, adding that all their appeals of help are in vain.
Replying to Fayyad said, the spokesman said that his ministry staff sometimes holds meetings with some journalist, trying to help and secure them as much as possible.
Al-Bozum clarified that the Gaza strip situations are complex due to the Political division and the multi governments, leading to burdening the ministry. He also pointed out that his ministry devotes its efforts to improve security men awareness.
For her return, Musheera Alhaj appealed the Interior Ministry not to detain the journalists in a place where there are spies and murders and highly respect them instead.
At the end of the meeting, the journalists stressed on the importance of respecting them and facilitating their work permanently, especially in the big occasions and activities.
Worth mentioning, this meeting came as a part of “Empowering Freedom of Expression, Democracy, and Independency of Palestinian Media” project funded by the Swiss and Norwegian governments.
