2. Violations against freedom of Expression

The Palestinian Authority continued to violate the freedom of expression, following are examples on that.

a) Closure of “Voice of Love and Peace” Radio Station

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 There was a report on the front page of al-Quds daily newspaper on the issue of resuming the teachers’ strike, and the resignation of Dr. Naim Abu-al-Hummos Deputy Minister of Education. And as we promised you on the subject of the teachers’ strike, we will have live on the phone Dr. Naim Abu-Al-Hummos, and here in the studio Mr. Omar Assaf, Spokesman of the Teachers’ High Committee of Coordination.

 With those words, Mu’taz Bseiso, Director of Voice of Love and Peace radio station, started his (Midday Round Up) news program, on Wednesday 3^rd May 2000

 Mu’taz: Did you present your resignation?

Dr. Naim: This subject will take its final shape upon the return of President Arafat, when a meeting will be held with the President. We will inform him of the developments that took place recently, the resumption of the strike. Following that, the decision, of course, will be taken by the President.

Mu’taz: What is the reason for the resignation? Is it the continuous strike of the teachers?

Dr. Naim: The general reason for my resignation is the respect for the system of Education in general, with all its members; administrators and teachers. The educational system must have its honor and dignity, and the spirit of one family. If an error happens, from a teacher or a headmaster or a director, we must all stand firm and discuss it clearly. I believe this has happened in the educational system recently, and this may have its effects on the country in the future.

Mu’taz: We have here in the studio Mr. Omar Assaf, and live on the telephone Dr. Naim Abu-Al-Hummos. From my reading of the report in al-Quds newspaper issued by the Ministry of Education, many of the demands of the teachers were met by the Ministry or the President, why then do you resume the strike Mr. Assaf?

Assaf: In the beginning I want to greet you and the listeners, and thank you for giving us the opportunity to address our people and the teachers, in order to explain that this strike didn’t happen all of a sudden. These strikes are three years old, we have been waiting for three years for the conditions of the teachers to improve, especially with the increasing rise of prices of all goods, but the teachers’ salaries remained the same, and their circumstances became worse.

Mu’taz: What are the teachers’ demands? (so that we touch the core of the matter) and what of these demands has been agreed upon? And why do you escalate the strike?

Assaf: I will save you trouble by saying that we simply demand the implementation of a law that has been approved by the Legislative Council, and the President.

Mu’taz: What law?

Assaf: The Civil Service Law, that will –despite some gaps in it- protect the employee, and protect the whole country. It provides rules for career promotion, and this is what we demand.

(Mu’taz tries to speak with Dr. Naim, but it there was no answer, so he says: It seems the line was cut)

Assaf: Let me add that the teacher today demands to get a salary that he used to get three years ago. The “purchasing power” of his salary decreased so much that he can no longer buy his basic needs. Also the government teachers have no union body to represent them, and they demand to have such an association so that they do not suffer measures as a result of their demands, whether administrative or non-administrative measures, such as the case of some teachers who were abused by the security services

Mu’taz: It was said that the strike is not convenient at this stage and time.

Assaf: We didn’t choose the time for the strike, but it came as a result of deducting 8% from the salaries of teachers to unify the retirement system between Gaza Strip and the West Bank, and so the strike happened as a result of that. Moreover, the circumstances in this country are not stable, things may change any minute, therefore we can’t say “let’s wait for better conditions”. We have allowed enough time. We have started a strike three years ago, and presented our demands, and wrote letters. And now they talk about the timing of this strike, why have they not heard us over the last three years?

Mu’taz: In the report issued by the Ministry of Education, there has been an amendment to the “qualification allowance”: for holders of Bachelor it is 20%, for Diploma 15%, and regardless of the qualification it became: Employees of grade four 20%, grade three 30%, grade two 40%, grade one 50%, and employees at grade (D) 60% as from 1.8.1998.

This was one of the teachers’ demands and was agreed upon , isn’t this true?

Assaf: It is true. But what is important is the “ability to buy” of those figures.

Mu’taz: What do you want from the Ministry?

Assaf: To implement the Civil Service Law, and two issues in particular:

To consider the erosion of the value of money since the approval of the Law, and to have the teachers’ salaries connected to the cost of living scale. This will relieve the teachers.

Mu’taz: What is the average salary of a teacher, if he depends on teaching alone of his living?

Assaf: The average is about 1600 Shekels.

Mu’taz: How does it compare with salaries of other government and non-government employees?

Assaf: If we compare it with salaries of UNRWA teachers holders of the same qualifications, they get higher salaries. Let me add that workers may have two jobs, but teachers who look after children and pupils and help to build this country need to have a stable comfortable life. But what we have in reality is far from that; there are educators who work as cab drivers, at petrol stations, or even coffee shops, in order to provide a decent living for their families.

Mu’taz: So nothing has improved in the demands of the teachers during the past three years?

Assaf: Figures and numbers are meaningless if we do not apply them in real life. The average salary of a teacher was 500 US$ three years ago, now it is about 375 – 400 US$, so there is a decrease of about 25%.

Mu’taz: So there were no improvements at all, none of your previous demands have been met?

Assaf: The minor improvements disappeared with the continuous rise in prices. Also the budget of the Ministry of Education decreased from 22% to 16%. This indicates there is no interest in Education.

Mu’taz: Who is not interested? Whom do you charge ?

Assaf: It is the Legislative Council who approved a budget that decreased the share of Education from 22% to 16%.

Mu’taz: So you call the Legislative Council responsible for approving a budget less than the years before. And you demand that the Legislative Council …

Assaf: To approve a fair budget that gives the teacher who is the core of the educational process his basic rights. Let me add that the percentage of pupils who attend classes on two shifts (morning and afternoon) is increasing rapidly, this means that the number of school buildings is not adequate to cope with the number of pupils who enter them every year. There is a warning bell of danger that says “education in this country is deteriorating”. Officials must pay attention to this, and I realize that Dr. Naim Abu-al-Hummos does not have the power to take decisions.

Mu’taz: Who has the power then?

Assaf: The Executive Authority, the Government, the President.

Mu’taz: So you address the President?

Assaf: We address all the officials and the President. We talk here about the Executive Authority.

Mu’taz: The President can decide in this case.

Assaf: Of course.

Mu’taz: So you don’t point your finger to the Legislative Council but to the President?

Assaf: I am not pointing fingers or charging anyone. I address the President because he is the first teacher who is interested in developing this country, and because he is responsible (not personally but by his system) for collecting taxes, and therefore, for distributing money fairly.

Mu’taz: So the Teachers’ Committee responsible for this strike demands not from the Legislative Council but from the President.

Assaf: And the Executive Committee, and the President, all of them.

Mu’taz: To intervene and solve this problem. Until when will you strike? Until when will you protest?

Assaf: The strike is a method. The Authority pushed us to strike after we used all other forms of letters and appeals. They did not listen to us and neglected our demands. Until recently, when they formed the committee in the Legislative Council.

Mu’taz: The strike, until when?

Assaf: We have the right to strike.

Mu’taz: Since you are a member in the Teachers’ High Committee, and their spokesman, until when do you think the strike will continue?

Assaf: Until we hear the results in the next two days.

Mu’taz: Hear from whom?

Assaf: From the Executive Authority in their meeting the day after tomorrow (Friday).

Mu’taz: And if you don’t hear good news, will the strike continue? What will be the fate of the General Secondary Examinations?

Assaf: We as teachers have a responsibility towards the country. We can’t allow our sons to be thrown into the streets and deprive them of the General Tawjihi examinations. Therefore, we in the teacher’s high committee are in an open meeting to follow up all developments on this subject.

Mu’taz: What raise in salaries do you demand? What percentage?

Assaf: We demand to cover the erosion that has affected our salaries.

Mu’taz: What percentage did you write on paper as a demand by the teachers?

Assaf: What we wrote is a demand to implement the Civil Service Law, and as for the percentage we demand that salaries return to what they were three years ago in real dollars, that equals 25% increase in the salary.

Mu’taz: So you demand an increase of 25% for all teachers?

Assaf: As a minimum.

Mu’taz: Are there discussions over this percentage?

Assaf: In fact we did not have any information on what happened between the Committee formed in the Legislative Council and the PA committee. They did not inform us of any thing, but we heard later that Mr. Abbas Zaki said there were new developments…

Mu’taz: Let’s try to call Mr. Abbas Zaki, there is an emergency meeting in the Legislative Council…, unfortunately we can’t contact him.

Assaf: The meeting is next Monday, but today they have an emergency meeting in the Legislative Council. We had a march to the Council this morning and told them that we gave them a whole month but they did not hear our cries, and they did not achieve anything.

Mu’taz: Are there additional protest steps if they do not agree to your demands? And if they do, do you have a plan to make-up classes for students?

Assaf: Of course. From day one we said that we would make-up all classes for the students, and we are ready to come to school even on Fridays, our weekly holiday. But let’s say that our options are being discussed regarding our coming steps. We may hold a hunger strike outside the Legislative Council demanding they rise up to their responsibilities towards the people. We call upon all institutions and national establishments and say, those who speak about the responsibility of the students and the future of this country must stand with the teacher.

Mu’taz: The public support for the teachers was not as expected, although teachers and their families constitute a large section of the Palestinian community?

Assaf: We as teachers worked to unite our efforts and succeeded in gathering the largest number of teachers in our activities, we say confidently that we have reached the maximum in the teachers’ participation in the activities.

Mu’taz: What is the percentage of teachers who do not participate in this strike?

Assaf: Yes there is a minority of teachers who do not take part in our activities, but this minority is very limited now. We can only try to convince them to participate for their own interest.

Mu’taz: Why isn’t there more public support?

Assaf: Let me say that the public support for us was less than what we expected, but I can’t say we do not have support. Many local NGOs and legal organizations participated in our protest activities. Also many “pupils’ parents councils” in schools took part and continue to support us, especially after some teachers were abused administratively by the Ministry of Education, and by the security services. In Bethlehem, some colleagues were summoned and questioned by the Palestinian Intelligence service. Moreover, at the beginning of our strike we suffered from a media blockage so none of our activities were covered by the media.

Mu’taz: Who forced the media blockage? We in the Voice of Love and Peace haven’t received any instructions from any side or Ministry advising us not to cover your activities. Also we haven’t received any reports to transmit from you.

Assaf: I mean the official media. For example, al-Sharq Television invited us for a TV discussion with some representatives from the Ministry of Education, but they refused to attend a meeting with the Teachers’ Committee and so the TV station cancelled the program. As for the newspapers, we used to send reports for publication and they refused to publish them, only after the strike continued and gained support, they began to cover it.

Mu’taz: Are there any further protest steps?

Assaf: Our last communiqué mentioned activities until the 11^th of May.

Mu’taz: We will try to speak with other parties, such as the Legislative Council and the Ministry of Education on this subject. As a teacher, do you believe that you have fair demands? And as a father, until when will you stand with the teachers?

Assaf: The idea is the same, you talk about the interest of the pupils. We say that those who look after the interest of the pupils must not really bother about one or two days. They must realize that a “hungry” teacher can’t teach his pupils properly. So those who seek a good future for their children and for the country as a whole must stand with the teachers and feel their suffering. About a month ago, we heard the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs say that they were looking for an acceptable and fair increase that would not push the teachers to go on strike every year. We believe that we may sympathize with our pupils for some time, but a teachers must live a decent life.

Mu’taz: If harm reaches me through my children, may be then I will reconsider my calculations?

Assaf: We have finished the required material with the Secondary Certificate students (Tawjihi).

Mu’taz: Have you finished required Tawjihi material?

Rami: (a student) Yes we have. But they need some revision.

Assaf: We are ready, and wherever they want, even outside school we can help students who need revision. There are still 35 days for the Tawjihi examinations.

Mu’taz: What harm may happen to the Tawjihi students?

Assaf: They fear that our strike may continue, and so we may not monitor or correct the exam papers. But this is still too early.

Mu’taz: What about other grades?

Assaf: We hope that nothing bad will happen because we are waiting for the results of the meeting between the Legislative Council and the Executive Authority.

Mu’taz: Is the teachers’ position hard, or could things be negotiated?

Assaf: These are our rights, and all of you agree to that. I am sure that teachers know their responsibilities. But after 3 months of strikes, we have not received any light of hope from the Executive Authority. The only thing they gave to us were promises and promises.

Mu’taz: Some teachers may take this opportunity to give private lessons in order to gain some money?

Assaf: Private lessons existed before the strike.

Mu’taz: We need to find a suitable solution for this crisis; fair for the teachers and acceptable within the capabilities of the Ministry of Education.

Assaf: If you want to talk about capabilities, there are capabilities. In 1999 the budget for education was 50 million US$, and in 2000 it became 50 million US$, so that makes 100 million dollars that must be deposited for this purpose. We must not forget that we have four commercial monopolies in the country: flour, concrete, tobacco and petrol. These monopolies bring in about 400 million US$, and so why not use them for education.

Mu’taz: We thank Mr. Omar Assaf, Spokesman of the Teachers’ Higher Committee, and hope for a just solution.

Assaf replied by wishing that the crisis would come to an end soon.

The Palestinian Police orders the closure of “Voice of Love and Peace” Radio Station

On Friday 5/5/2000 at about five thirty in the evening, a police force in civilian clothes came to the radio station, and informed the staff verbally (with no papers shown) that their station was ordered closed.

Mu’taz Bseiso, Director of the station, said “they were 18 armed men in and outside the station, who informed us verbally of the closure decision. The following morning we read in the newspaper an announcement by General Ghazi al-Jabali, the Police Director, that said “Closure of Voice of Love and Peace came as a temporary measure because it violated the conditions by spreading false information and lies”.

This was not the first time the Voice of Love and Peace was closed. In 1998 it was closed during the campaign of support to Iraq. Then it was closed again by Lieutenant Ali Ghuneim for 8 hours, because it was considered as spreading incitement about Abu-Ghuneim incidents, with no formal order. Then it was also closed during the disturbances because of the tunnel (underneath al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem) because it had wide live coverage of clashes with the Israelis. And on 20.3.1995, Mu’taz Bseiso was attacked by 7 or 8 unidentified men.

D.J. of Love and Peace!

In an interview with Mu’taz Bseiso, Director of the radio station, he said “We are committed to cover all the important news. Sometimes that news is not acceptable by local media, this doesn’t help the freedom of expression. But we have to cover news, otherwise we would become a D.J. (only transmitting music and songs) not a radio station. We are independent. Our ideas and opinions are independent. We do not follow any political line. We mention different ideas and people will have to choose right from wrong.

Legality of the Closure:

-         What the criminal police and general intelligence did (entering and closing the radio station) is illegal since they did not show any legal order for the closure, not even a written decision. This closure threatens the future of democracy and freedom of expression.

-         The station has a permit from the Ministry of Information and functions according to basic regulations, but the measure taken by the police violates the Palestinian Press Law of 1995. Furthermore it contravenes the regulations of the Government Council forbidding the closure of any media institution unless it is done legally, through the judiciary (implementing a judgment by a court).

A Note of Gratitude to the President

On 10.5.00 at about 12:30 a decision was taken by President Arafat to reopen the radio station, and so the officials of the radio station issued a note of thankfulness to the President showing appreciation for his decision.

b)  Closure of Watan Television

 Watan private TV station is in the center of Ramallah in the West Bank, in the Cairo-Amman Bank building, 6^th floor. Omar Nazzal owns 50% of the station, the remaining half of ownership is shared by the Agricultural relief committee, the Medical relief committee, the Hydrology Group, and the Medical Committees’ Union.

 Watan Television was established in early 1996, and started transmission on 15.4.1996 after the coming of the PA. Its director, Omar Nazzal, 38 years, saw that there was a need for an independent and professional Palestinian TV station, specially after the establishment of the official Palestine Television. In the beginning there were only 3 employees, now there are 35, with correspondents in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, the Golan Heights and Gaza.

 On 21.5.00 the TV station was closed by the PA for the 5^th time, this time by the criminal intelligence department, verbally for an unlimited time, without any reasons or explanation. Omar Nazzal explained “The decision to close the station came after the wide coverage of the Palestinian detainees’ strike in the Israeli prisons and the solidarity protests with them. We received many phone calls live on the air from inside the prisons”. During that time, the television transmitted nationalistic songs and live coverage of events and funerals of martyrs which the PA considered an act of incitement, under the Presidential decree against incitement issued on 19.11.1998.

 That was the 5^th closure of the station. During the first 6 months after we began transmission, we were closed three times, the first time was in April 1996 for one week, then in June 1996 for 15 days, then in September 1996 for 3 days. The fourth time was on 12.8.1998 for one day, and the 5^th time on 21.5.00 for 3 days. The closures were for different reasons, as explained by the different security services involved.  All the closures came verbally with no written letter, and without stating the period of the closure or who imposed it.

 The last closure was because of the wide coverage of the detainees’ strike. 3-4 men in civilian clothes from the general intelligence service with no written order, came to the station, and verbally informed us of the decision. We issued a protest communiqué in the local newspaper, and we received support from other stations and human rights organizations.

 A letter from Watan TV station to the PHRMG

 Nazzal detailed : The day after the closure, I was informed of the decision of the Minister by Information, through the Director of Publications Maher al-Masri, that we could restart transmission on 23.5.00 at 12 noon. But one minute after we restarted transmission the general intelligence called us and asked who gave us permission to restart transmission. We told them it was the Ministry of information, but they ignored that and said they were the only side responsible. I asked for few minutes, during which I called Hani al-Masri at the Ministry of Information, and the Governor’s office (Abu-Firas) who told me they would call the police. But in few minutes a police force came to the station and ordered the evacuation of staff, and took me with them to the police station where they kept me for one hour. The following day they informed me that we could restart transmission.

 Nazzal added: Many human rights organizations and journalists showed solidarity with us. The Ministry of Information, according to the Palestinian Press Law, is the side responsible for our work, and the Ministry itself can’t close a newspaper or a TV station without obtaining a judicial legal order. But unfortunately, the security services always

interfere in this subject regardless of the law.

 Meanwhile, Hani al-Masri, Director of Publications at the Ministry of Information said his ministry did not know of the closure decision and had nothing to do with it. Furthermore, Nazzal explained that the PA faces heavy pressures from the Israeli government to close TV and Radio stations in order to restore calm.

 The General Union of Private Radio and TV stations condemned the closure of Watan station and decided to stop transmission for one hour in all its member stations in solidarity.

 c) Closure of al-Manarah Radio and al-Nassr Television

 On Tuesday 30.5.00 at about 1:30 a.m. the criminal intelligence entered the premises of al-Nassr television in Ramallah, and ordered the station closed. The decision also included al-Manarah radio station which is located in the same building and belongs to the same administration. The police placed some personnel at the entrance to the two stations to prevent any one from going in. They did not show any written order for the closure, and did not state the time period for it, despite the fact that both stations possess permits from the Ministry of Information.

The decision to close al-Manarah radio and al-Nassr television came a few days after Watan television was reopened, which was closed by the same criminal intelligence department in the Palestinian police, who published a report in the local al-Quds newspaper saying that they closed a local station because it broadcast programs attacking the PA.

 Ammar Ammar, 31 years, director of al-Nassr TV and al-Manarah radio told the PHRMG “On 30.5.00 at about 1:45 a.m. 6 men from the criminal intelligence police arrived, some in civil clothes, and verbally ordered us  to close the radio station (with no written document) and asked me to accompany them to the police station. I went together with Fuad Jasser, a presenter in the radio, to the police station. When they learned that we also ran al-Nassr TV station from the same building, they called a senior police officer who gave his instructions to close that as well.

The radio station was only closed for 45 hours, as its administration made many contacts with local and foreign press agencies about the matter, and informed many human rights and local organizations about the measure.

 Although we had an official permit from the Ministry of Information, and they supported us morally, but they did not know about the closure from the beginning.

 Ammar Ammar said “al-Nassr television was established in 1993, before the coming of the PA. We used to transmit with no legal status (piracy) from Jalazone camp, and it was at that time owned by Nasser Hujeir. There was close cooperation with al-Quds Educational TV then. The live program called (Space for Opinion) which started 4 years ago, jointly transmitted, received wide public success and participation.

Al-Nassr television was closed after transmission of an episode of the program (Space for Opinion) which was about the victory of the Lebanese Resistance in South Lebanon and its affects on Palestine. Guests in the studio for that episode were:

Sakhr Habash, member of “Fateh” Central Committee

Azmi Shuaibi, member of the Legislative Council

Hasan Khreisheh, member of the Legislative Council

That was the fourth time for the television station, the time before this was during the bombardment of Iraq. The closures normally lasted for 48 hours.

As for al-Manarah radio station, it was established in 1995, with objectives similar to those of al-Nassr television, and it also was ordered closed several times, with reasons related to not meeting the requirements, and to coverage of incidents during the attacks on Iraq.

Maher Dasouqi, 38 years, presenter of the program (Space for Opinion) said “The program is both social and political, it deals with the daily worries of the average Palestinian citizen. It is transmitted jointly by al-Nassr TV and al-Quds educational TV, live from Ramallah on Sundays and Wednesdays. We normally invite well-known figures from the local community, such as national or religious or  political leaders, members of the Legislative Council, or women activists, to be guests in the studio”.

Dasouqi added “ I was detained twice by the PA; the first time the Preventive Security Service for 20 days in September 1999, and the second time for two hours by the general intelligence service.

The first time they accused me of attacking the PA and spreading incitement, but the second time they did not clearly explain any reasons, they simply asked me questions about the program”.

Once, during the program, live on the air, we had three guests:

Saleh Ra’fat, General Secretary of Fida Party.

Hasan Khreisheh, member of the Legislative Council.

Dr. Mohammed Omran, Dean of Teachers’ College / Ramallah.

When someone called us on the phone and started attacking the program and saying the television must be closed and accused me personally of being a collaborator (with Israel). We did not cut the line, and told him that we were democratic, and many people after that called and criticized that person, and praised the program. Our guests also rejected what that person said, and Dr. Omran suggested giving me a lift after the program was over, but I said there was no need.

When I left the television building and went into my car to go home, I noticed there was a white Subaru following me. There were four men in it, they tried to terrify me so that I would start thinking of how would I get home after the program. That incident was on 3.5.00, and I think it was intentional, because the following program, I had also three guests:

Maher al-Masri, from the Ministry of information

Abdel-Fattah Hamayel, member of the Legislative Council

Daoud Talhami, member of the Legislative Council

Someone called, also live on the air, and started attacking me and the program, I knew it was the same voice, I replied and said to him he was the same person who called on 3.5.00, and he did not deny but basically wanted to create a bad atmosphere in the program.

When that episode finished, they told me that lieutenant Ali Ghuneim, from Ramallah police, was on the phone and wanted to speak with me. He invited me for coffee in his office, but I said I preferred to have it at home. He asked me why I was critical of “them” in my program, but Abdel-Fattah Hamayel, took the phone and spoke with him.

I went to the police station with Ayman Bardaweel director of al-Quds educational television and we were there for two hours.

They questioned me about my program, and I asked who was the man who accused me of being a collaborator. I told them about the white car that followed me at night, and told them that there must be respect for the freedom of opinion. Lieutenant Ghuneim objected to  many things in the program, and said we were accusing the PA of collaborating with Israel. I replied that we did not accuse any one of anything, but simply tried to present facts and realities since we believed in freedom of expression. I even invited the lieutenant to be my guest in the program and say whatever he wanted. But he said that some senior officials in the PA did not like the program, and gave me his phone number and advised me to call him if I see the car again.

I informed colonel Zakaria Musleh of the Preventive Security Service about that, but Lieutenant Ghuneim was angry and asked why I informed the PSC. The episode of the program was retransmitted on Monday, and the following day, Tuesday 30.5.00 al-Nassr television station was closed.

Al-Manarah radio station was reopened on 2.6.00, and al-Nassr television was reopened on 19.6.00, the decision for the reopening was also given verbally.

d) Closure of al-Mahd Television

Al-Mahd TV station was established five years ago. It is a private entertainment social television station that mainly transmits films and series, song and festivals, and some news programs. It focuses on local events, especially those that occur in Bethlehem district.

Samir Qumsieh, Director of al-Mahd TV station, told the PHRMG about the closure of the station and his arrest:

“After the PA has closed Watan television in Ramallah, with no clear reasons for that measure, the Council of Private Stations met and decided to take some actions in solidarity with Watan television and demand its reopening”.

So on 23.5.00 the Council, headed by Samir Qumsieh Director of al-Mahd TV station, met and issued a communiqué for the public, published in the local newspapers. The communiqué basically demanded the rule of the law, and an end to the policy of closures. It stated that the Ministry of Information had sole responsibility for the work of the private TV and radio stations, not the Ministry of Interior. And they decided to halt transmission for half an hour in all private stations in protest, and solidarity with Watan television.

That action did not suite the PA and its security services, so numerous arguments occurred within the security circles, basically arguing how would a pro-PA person like Samir Qumsieh do such a thing (care more about his own business and attack the PA). Therefore, on 1.6.00 some security men from the Criminal Intelligence came to al-Mahd television with an order to arrest Samir Qumsieh and close the station until further notice, without giving any explanations. They said that these orders were from senior officials and they had to implement them. They took Samir Qumsieh the district building (Muqata’a) in Bethlehem, and immediately started questioning him about the public statement of the Association. He answered them by saying that it was a decision taken by the board of the Association not by him personally, although he happened to be the Chairman of the Association.

He tried to explain that he did not mean to harm the PA, but they rejected his explanation and said the statement was an act of incitement against the PA, and continued to question him for three days. He asked them, supposing I did something wrong, why close the TV station? Even they replied that it was a punishment for what he did.

After that, Makram (Samir’s brother) and Hanan Ashrawi (member of the Legislative Concil) met with President Arafat and assured to him that Samir did not mean to attack the PA, on the contrary, he always supported the PA, and as a result of that, the President ordered his release.

On 3.6.00 Samir was released, and after he returned to his family he confirmed that he was not tortured or humiliated during his questioning, but his defense lawyer was not allowed to visit him. He added that he was not put in a cell, but in an office, and they allowed food and clothes to brought to him. He explained that he was released because of his brother’s connections, and the President knew him personally. He pointed out that this measure was a conspiracy against him and his station, which was reopened on 17.6.00 and resumed transmission on 19.6.00.