Journalist’s arrest is attack on Palestinian freedom of press
Headline: "Aljariri’s detention is another attempt to silence the press"
"Despite the retraction of the public prosecutor’s decision to detain the journalist Ihab Aljariri pending investigation, the Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms 'MADA' expresses its deep concern regarding this matter. The editorial director of '24 FM' Radio Ihab Aljariri got subjected to investigation Monday (15/2/2016) by the representative of the public prosecutor in Ramallah, following a complaint filed against him concerning his coverage of the contraction of Palestinian Public TV with a cosmetic specialist a couple of months ago. After his interrogation, the general prosecutor decided to detain him for 24 hours pending further investigation (he was released afternoon due to the intervention of many parties).
The ethics committee of the Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate observed two months ago a complaint filed by the 'female coiffeur,' whom Palestinian Public TV contracted, and in response the committee said: 'Professionally, the subject that Ihab Aljariri addressed in his radio program over five episodes concentrated in the first place on the Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation (the TV part of it), which is considered a public organization. Furthermore, criticizing and addressing the policies of public organizations is not considered a breach to the profession’s standards, and does not affect the complainant personally, even if it discussed her own salary (it was very high). As long as the salary of an employee in a public organization and his contraction’s conditions is part of the public funds, then it is not considered within the inviolability of the private life. The sound principle is to share such agreements with the public, and to acknowledge the standards under which they are held. Accordingly, sharing the salary amount and criticizing its value is not considered of an influence on the complainant’s pride or dignity from the point of view of the ethics committee.'
'MADA' emphasize that the decision to detain Aljariri (despite the the retraction of it) harm the freedom of expression, and that his interrogation (or completion of interrogation) in relation to his profession as a journalist or any complaints regarding this matter does not justify in any case being detained. The detention decision is seen by MADA as another attempt to deter the journalists and chain the media freedoms."
"Despite the retraction of the public prosecutor’s decision to detain the journalist Ihab Aljariri pending investigation, the Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms 'MADA' expresses its deep concern regarding this matter. The editorial director of '24 FM' Radio Ihab Aljariri got subjected to investigation Monday (15/2/2016) by the representative of the public prosecutor in Ramallah, following a complaint filed against him concerning his coverage of the contraction of Palestinian Public TV with a cosmetic specialist a couple of months ago. After his interrogation, the general prosecutor decided to detain him for 24 hours pending further investigation (he was released afternoon due to the intervention of many parties).
The ethics committee of the Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate observed two months ago a complaint filed by the 'female coiffeur,' whom Palestinian Public TV contracted, and in response the committee said: 'Professionally, the subject that Ihab Aljariri addressed in his radio program over five episodes concentrated in the first place on the Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation (the TV part of it), which is considered a public organization. Furthermore, criticizing and addressing the policies of public organizations is not considered a breach to the profession’s standards, and does not affect the complainant personally, even if it discussed her own salary (it was very high). As long as the salary of an employee in a public organization and his contraction’s conditions is part of the public funds, then it is not considered within the inviolability of the private life. The sound principle is to share such agreements with the public, and to acknowledge the standards under which they are held. Accordingly, sharing the salary amount and criticizing its value is not considered of an influence on the complainant’s pride or dignity from the point of view of the ethics committee.'
'MADA' emphasize that the decision to detain Aljariri (despite the the retraction of it) harm the freedom of expression, and that his interrogation (or completion of interrogation) in relation to his profession as a journalist or any complaints regarding this matter does not justify in any case being detained. The detention decision is seen by MADA as another attempt to deter the journalists and chain the media freedoms."