Human Rights and Democracy Media Centers SHAMS

مركز إعلام حقوق الإنسان والديمقراطية "شمس"

The Human Rights and Democracy Media Center “SHAMS” stressed the need for concerted Palestinian official and civil efforts to turn in work the killers of the Martyr Sherine Abu Aqleh as it stated that the targeting of the martyr Sherine is a heinous crime and a flagrant attack on the freedom of the press. Also, her killing by the Israeli occupation army is a target of the truth as organized state terrorism must not continue, so the international community must leave the box of denunciation and condemnation to move seriously to presenting her killers to trial and to stop the crimes committed by the occupying power against the Palestinian people.

“SHMAS” centre stated that the failure to bring the killers and those behind them to trial may be interpreted as a green light and a form of encouragement for the soldiers and officers of the occupying power to continue targeting Palestinian journalists.

“SHMAS” Center stated  that the adoption of the General Assembly of the United Nations in its resolution No A/RES/68/163 At its sixty-eighth session in 2013, on the safety of journalists and the development of the United Nations action plan on the safety of journalists and the issue of impunity represents a framework for coordination between the various stakeholders at the United Nations level.

Considering November 2 of each year,  ending impunity for crimes committed against journalists is a development at the international level in order to prosecute and hold accountable the people who commit crimes against media professionals. In short, the resolution urged member states to take specific measures to end impunity.

“SHMAS” Centre confirmed that Accessing to information is the cornerstone of the democratic process and the basis for good governance being considered as necessary step for the emergence of effective institutions.

Furthermore, it is imperative to have the right to access to basic information about the mechanism of taking decisions in public and official administrations as well as the way of enacting laws and legislation that control our daily lives and public budgets. Also, it is necessary to be able to access information about money expenditure as well as the collected money by the state through direct and indirect taxes. In fact, it is one of the human rights that must be respected.

“SHMAS” Center stresses the need for freedom of the press and journalists to be given great and utmost importance that the achieved works and their rights should be respected and protected against any violation by any party. Thus, it is imperative to promote the freedom and prosperity of the press, to protect and respect the rights of journalists and support the freedom of the press, which requires more legislations that are in line with the conventions and treaties to which Palestine has acceded respecting the Palestinian Basic Law.

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