AWRAD organized a round table discussion on “Public Freedoms and Human Rights” Monday, May 28, 2012. The workshop was an opportunity to present and discuss the results of AWRAD’s latest opinion poll which illustrated the fears of Palestinians concerning the perceived increased repression of freedoms of speech and press.
For example, 88 percent of Palestinians disagree with the arrest of journalists and bloggers. In addition, 75 percent of Gazans and 47 percent of West Bank respondents believe that the situation of freedoms is deteriorating.
The round table meeting was well attended by political parties, government officials, and representatives of the media, security agencies and civil society organizations. Among the speakers were:
- Dr. Nader Said, AWRAD’s President, who presented the results of the poll.
- Mr. Ahmad Al Mughani, the General Prosecutor, who explained the position of the Palestinian Authority.
- Mr. Saleh Raafat, a member in the PLO Executive Committee, who presented the position of the PLO protesting the arrests.
- Mr. Azmi Shuaibi, Head of AMAN-Coalition for Integrity and Accountability, who presented the position of Palestinian civil society.
- Ms. Zahira Kamal, General Secretary of Palestinian Democratic Union, who presented the position of democratic political parties.
The participants concluded that suppression of freedoms is not an option in the attempt to build to a democratic state.
Opinion polling is an expression of the views of the people who seem to be ahead of the leaders of intuitions in their views of freedoms and democracy.
Promises were made that a less repressive system will be pursued and that officials and civil society leaders must work to foster freedoms and democracy.
