Ref: 120/2007
Date: 16 September 2007
Time: 11:00 GMT
PCHR Condemns the Attack on Watan Press Office in Gaza
PCHR condemns the attack on Watan Press Office by unknown assailants on Friday. The Centre calls for investigating this attack and prosecuting the perpetrators. The Centre views this attack within the context of assaults on freedom of expression and journalism freedom that are protected by the Palestinian Basic Law and international human rights standards.
The Center’s preliminary investigation and the statement of journalist Emad El-Efranji, director of the targeted office, indicates that at approximately 11:30 on Friday, 14 September 2007, two unknown assailants broke into Watan Press Office, located in the 6th floor of Abu Shaban Building in the center of Gaza City. The assailants started to ransack the office. The assailants fled when they heard someone heading towards the office to check the sound.
It is noted that on 31 August 2007 Emad El-Efranji and Mustafa El-Sawwaf, the editor-in-chief of Palestine Newspaper, received death threats on their private mobile phones.
The 2 journalists informed PCHR that at 03:16 on Friday, 31 August 2007, each one received a message on his private mobile phone. The message sent to El-Efranji was signed by “Samih El-Madhoun Groups.” The message to El-Sawwaf was signed by “IslamicWay.” El-Efranji stated that he received another message with the same content and by the same signatory 7 minutes after the first message. In addition, he said that he received a message threatening Mustafa El-Sawwaf signed by “Islamicway.”
PCHR strongly condemns these attacks, and:
– Points to the repeated attacks on freedom of expression and press freedoms, and calls for serious investigations in these attacks to prosecute the perpetrators.
– Stresses the need to provide protection to journalists and the media, and the need to take steps to ensure that they conduct their work freely in affirmation of freedom of expression and press freedoms.
– Affirms that freedom of expression is protected by the Palestinian Basic Law and international human rights standards.
