Ref: 27/2007

Date: 03 May  2007

Proceedings of the Second Section of Conference on Media and Human Rights

On Thursday afternoon, 3 May 2007, the second session of the Conference on Media and Human Rights, titled “The Role of the Media in the Prevalence of Human Rights Culture,” has been concluded. The session has been facilitated by Dr. Ahmed Abu Al-Said, Dean of the Faculty of Press and Media, Al-Aqsa University.

The session has included 4 interventions:

In the first intervention titled “The Relationship Between Human Rights Organizations and the Media,” Ms. Jameela Abu Shanab, Correspondent of Al-Hurra Satellite Channel, asserted that the media and human rights have many things in common, wandering: Has the media succeeded in its contemporary language? She pointed out that cooperation between human rights organizations and the media has been limited and has included reporting on activities of human rights organizations and civil society groups, and reporting on certain human rights violations. She considered that such cooperation is one-sides as human rights organizations provide the media with extensive information on human rights violations, but the media shows little interest in such reports.

In the second intervention titled “The Status of Human Rights in Programs of Private Local Radio Stations,” Mr. Mohsen Al-Efranji, Lecturer at the Islamic University, stressed that local radio station has not paid much attention to human rights issues in their programs, as most of their programs are politically oriented. He considered that local radio stations has not supported human rights issues, rather they have violated human rights. He further indicated that radio stations have incited against certain political factions, especially during the latest internal clashes in the Gaza Strip.

In the third intervention titled “The Role of Palestine Television in the Prevalence of Human Rights Culture,” Mr. Nasser Olaiwa, Director of Political Programs, Palestine Television, stressed that general agendas of human rights organizations are a form of compromise between Palestinian needs and international human rights concepts. He added that Palestinian Television tries to contribute to the enhancement of human rights culture, but it faces difficulties, including the lack of experience to design programs on human rights issues and that it is a part of a system plagued with disturbances.

In the fourth intervention titled “Scopes of the Freedom of Expression in Palestinian Newspapers,” Ms. Dunia Al-Amal Ismail, journalist and writer, wandered if there is a standard scope through which the freedom of expression can be found in local press, and how to measure such scope in light of the prevalence of certain kinds of writing and the lack of a clear media vision. She also pointed out that the limitation of the freedom of expression in our country has become a mechanism to defend Palestinian journalists’ right to life.

In the conclusion of the first session, the facilitator opened the door for discussion and interventions. 

In the upcoming weeks, PCHR will publish a report on the proceedings of the conference, which will be available to all those who are interested.  

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