The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate strongly condemned the arrest and assault of Hani Abu Rizk, a correspondent of Al-Hayat Al-Jadeeda newspaper, by Hamas police during his filming of people marking the advent of the holy fasting month of Ramadan at Al-Saraya Square in Gaza City.
In a statement, the Syndicate voiced deep concern over the incident.
It said police were aware that Abu Rizk was a journalist when they assaulted him. It held the police fully responsible for the “brutal attack” that violates freedom of journalistic work, demanding an apology.
Abu Rizk is a journalist who covers humanitarian stories and the sufferings of people in the Gaza Strip. He covered a story about how Hamas movement police had demolished the house of a Palestinian man in the Gaza Strip.
Abu Al-Saeed Al-Masry, a cancer patient, was living in a residential complex with his brothers. A local businessman bought the complex, but Al-Masry refused to sell his home because of his medical condition.
A Hamas court ruled in favor of the businessman and ordered the immediate evacuation of the home and that compensation be paid to the owner, who still refused to sell.
The police ultimately carried out the court order and demolished the home, forcibly evicting the owners.
Abu Rizk was attacked for covering the story. He was summoned by Hamas police and arrested.
The Syndicate expressed its rejection of the assault and arrest, saying it will take all necessary action to avert similar acts from happening again.
It called on rights groups to condemn the attack and pressure Hamas to ensure that it would not commit them again.
