IMEMC Photographer beaten and detained by PA Security forces

Tuesday November 27, 2007 20:35 by George Rishmawi - IMEMC News

Palestinian Security forces on Tuesdaya assaulted and detained IMEMC’s Photographer and News Producer Ghassan Bannoura as he covered an anti-Annapolis demonstration in Bethlehem.

Ghassan Bannoura at IMEMC Studio (Photo: IMEMC)

Bannoura was stopped by an plain-clothes officer and ordered not to take photos. When Bannoura continued he was pushed against the wall and beaten by a number of men, some of whom were masked. The photographer was then forced into a car, where PA security officer continued to beat him with batons and rifle-butts, and taken to the headqaurters of the local intelligence services.

At the HQ, Bannoura's cell phone and camera were taken from him at gun-point.

The photographer was released after four hours of detention. A medical check-up reveled that he suffered severe bruises to his back and neck and a light fracture in his right arm.

Several media sources reported that the Palestinian Authority security forces assaulted a number of journalists in Bethlehem, Ramallah and other areas as they covered the anti-Annapolis rallies.

In Hebron, Hisham Barad’i, 37 was killed when the security forces dispersed a demonstration called for by the Islamic Liberation Party.

bethlehem | internal unrest | news report george at imemc dot org