The Arab Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI), has condemned the arrest of Fedaa Nasser, a reporter for Palestine Today TV, as she was doing a report about how the Jewish holidays in Hebron affect Palestinian citizens.
On Sunday morning, March 16, Israeli occupation forces arrested Fedaa Nasser, while she was shooting reportage about the so-called “Purim†holiday of Jewish settlers in Tel Ar Rumeida area, in the centre of Hebron; following a complaint was filed, by a Jewish settler, against the journalist. The settler alleged that Nasser has beaten her.
The Israeli forces detained “Nasser†for several hours in Al-Tawqeef police station, which is affiliated to the Israeli police, nearby Kiryat Arba settlement. During her detention, Nasser was interrogated over the pressed allegations against her. On Sunday night, she was released after providing reportage that proves the falsity of the settler’s allegations, and shows that the settlers themselves attacked the crew of Palestine Today TV.
ANHRI said, “The arrest of media professional “Fedaa Nasserâ€, by the Israeli forces, while she was carrying out her job, is a new string of a series of violations and torture committed by the Israeli occupation forces against journalists and media, with the purpose of gagging them and precluding them from covering their violations against Palestinian people, who aspire to freedom. These encroachments also became on the rise due to the absence of accountability for Israeli occupation forces over such flagrant violations that reach whoever works in press and media areas in Palestinian territories. Additionally, the states as well as international and regional institutions, which are interested in freedoms and press freedoms in particular, overlook such blatant violations that undermine press and media freedoms, in particular, and freedom of expression, in general.â€
ANHRI renewed its demands from the international and regional institutions, which are interested in freedom of expression, to pressure the Israeli entity to respect freedom of expression and opinion besides freedom of the press. Moreover, these institutions should urge their governments to change their stance over the violations committed by the Israeli occupation forces.
