Human Rights & Public Liberties

Human Rights & Public Liberties

Newsletter
Published on: 13 Jan, 2021

Calls for immediate release of Al Jazeera journalist arrested by Israel

Published on: 6 June, 2021
Demonstrations in Sheikh Jarrah 2021

Demonstrations in Sheikh Jarrah 2021

Al Jazeera journalist Givara Budeiri was arrested on 5 June by Israeli occupation forces. Budeiri was covering demonstrations in the occupied East Jerusalem suburb of Sheikh Jarrah at the time.

Budeiri was assaulted and arrested during a sit-in covering the 54th anniversary of the Naksa.

Budeira said she was ‘treated as a criminal’ when she was taken to the police station and prevented from removing her heavy flak jacket or closing her eyes. She said the police accused her of kicking a female soldier – an accusation she strongly denied.

Al Jazeera’s cameraman, Nabil Mazzawi, had his camera destroyed by the Israeli authorities while reporting.

 

Calls for Budeiri’s release

Dr Mostefa Souag, acting director general of Al Jazeera  made the following comment on the arrest: ‘We condemn the actions of the Israeli occupation forces in the strongest terms. The systematic targeting of our journalists is in total violation of all international conventions. Today’s violent actions by Israeli occupation forces against Givara Budeiri and Nabil Mazzawi are in total disregard for the fundamental human rights of journalists.”

Souag further stated: “The silencing of journalists by terrorising them has become a routine activity for the Israeli authorities as witnessed in recent weeks in Gaza and occupied Jerusalem.

Souag further stressed that the brutal arrest of Budeiri cannot be viewed in isolation and that it should be viewed in the context of the destruction of the Al Jalaa building in Gaza two weeks prior.

Al Jazeera has demanded her immediate release.

The Executive Director of the Interntional Press Institute (IPI) Barbara Trionfi also expressed outrage over the incident and demanded Budeiri’s release.

Trionfi said: ‘IPI condemns the brutal arrest of Givara Budeiri by the Israeli defence forces in Jerusalem and calls for her immediate release. The extended detention of journalists and the many attacks against the media that we have witnessed in the past weeks appear to be part of an ongoing effort by Israel to suppress independent coverage, which is greatly concerning and in breach of international treaties.’Trionfi added: ‘Israel must hold representatives of the IDF who target journalists accountable.’