Ref: 115/2010

The Palestinian Center for Human
Rights (PCHR) condemns the arrest of Akram al-Natshah and Mahmoud Hamamrah, the
correspondents of Al-Quds TV in Hebron, and the confiscation of their equipment
by the General Intelligence Service (GIS). Such an attack is considered a grave violation of the right to freedom
of opinion and expression and the freedom of the press, which are
constitutionally guaranteed and protected under the relevant international
standards.

According to investigations
conducted by PCHR and testimonies of the two journalists, at approximately
12:30 on Tuesday, 21 December 2010,
a GIS force broke into the main office of “Pal
Media” Agency, in the center of Hebron, Southern West Bank. The force members checked the IDs of persons
in the office. They asked Akram As’ad
al-Natshah and Mahmoud Mohammed Hamamrah, who work for al-Quds TV, to accompany
them after showing them the arrest warrant issued by the Attorney General. Before leaving, the force members searched
the offices of al-Natshah and Hamamrah and confiscated their laptops, mobiles,
some documents and CDs. The two
journalists were questioned in the GIS headquarter in Hebron regarding a press
release on political arrest in the West Bank and an interview performed by
al-Quds TV with the mother of one of those detained in the security services’
prisons in the West Bank. On Wednesday,
22 December 2010, the journalists were transported to the Attorney General
office, where they were accused of (incitement). They were released in the afternoon on a bail
amounting (500 JD) their equipment and documents remained withheld.

PCHR condemns what happened to the
two journalists, and:

1. Is
   concerned over the continued violations of the right to freedom of opinion
   and expression and press freedoms. It emphasizes on the necessity of the right to protection of
   journalists and media, and taking the necessary measures to enable them
   perform their work freely in confirmation on the right to freedom of
   opinion and press freedoms;
2. Emphasizes
   that the right to freedom of opinion and expression are guaranteed under
   the Palestinian Basic Law and international human rights standards; and
3. Calls
   upon the Palestinian security services to respect the international human
   rights standards, the Basic Law of the Palestinian National Authority and
   the relevant laws.