TruthNews - Freedom of Speech Under Attack by Palestinian Authority

Freedom of Speech Under Attack by Palestinian Authority

ICEJ News, 24 May 2012

Despite previous promises to uphold freedom of speech, the Palestinian Authority has recently arrested or interrogated almost a dozen journalists and bloggers in addition to blocking Palestinian news websites critical of President Mahmoud Abbas.

On Tuesday, the Palestinian General Intelligence Service detained Shadi Zamara, a young journalist and blogger.

"The interrogation focused mainly on articles I had published and [those] which included criticism of the Palestinian Authority," Zamara told SKeyes Center for Media and Cultural Freedom.

Meanwhile, in a recent poll of 1,200 Palestinians in both Gaza and the West Bank conducted by AWRAD, the independent Ramallah-based research center, 88% believe the recent arrests of journalists and bloggers is unjustified, 60% of Gaza and 27% of West Bank pollsters believe freedom of speech has declined over the last 10 years, about 80% said both the PA and Hamas censor freedom of expression, and 84% are in favor of holding immediate elections.