West Bank Newspaper Closed, Cartoonist and Editor Sentenced in Absentia



Although I'm a little unclear about the news reports' distinction between restricted distribution and closure, it appears a court decision yesterday from what is described as a "Hamas-controlled magistrate's court" closed down the Ramallah-based Al-Ayyam newspaper by banning its distribution in the Gaza Strip following accusations of libel centering around the publication of a cartoon by Baha' Bukhari last November, reports the Jerusalem Post. Both al-Bukhari and his editor Akram Haniyeh were sentenced in absentia to six months in prison for the crimes of libel and slander, as well as fine (the editor more severely). The cartoon, abobe, showed Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh meeting an over-adoring Palestinian Legislative Council, captioned "The Illegitimate."

The article notes that other newspapers have been restricted from publication in the area and that other journalists have been jailed. The decision has been decried by the organization Palestinian Journalists Syndicate.
 
posted 9:10 am PST | Permalink
 

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