IFJ calls on Palestinian journalists' leader to be set free

The IFJ condemned the arrest yesterday of Palestinian journalist Omar Nazzal, member of the board of IFJ affiliate, the Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate, while he crossed the al-Karameh border. According to the PJS his mobile was confiscated and he was allowed one call to his wife which he told her he was taken to the Etzion interrogation center. Nazzal was on his way to Sarajevo, Bosnia Herzegovina, to attend the General Meeting of the European Federation of Journalists taking place on 25-26 April as part a PJS delegation invited to participate. IFJ president Jim Boumelha will be writing to Israel Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu to demand that Nazzal is released forthwith and allowed to travel to Sarajevo to attend this general meeting. “It was shocking to hear that a participant to a congress for journalists from all over Europe has been arrested by the Israeli authorities on his way to attend and banged in Etzion prison without any reason being given,” said Boumelha. “The 100 delegates representing over 320,000 journalists in 51 unions from all over Europe will be demanding that their colleague is released forthwith.” The PJS issued a statement about the arrest which it said “clearly reveals the level of targeting and persecution of journalists and their union by the Israeli authorities." Palestinian journalists will gather in Ramallah Sunday at 11 am at the International Committee of the Red Cross to demand the release of Nazzal and an end to the persecution of journalists.

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