Activists demand justice for Farah Maraqa and her colleagues

Published: 2022-01-18 15:33

Last Updated: 2025-01-09 11:45

Jordanian Journalist Farah Maraqa

A statement was published by a group of human rights activists demanding justice for Arab journalists who were suspended from work in December 2021 after allegations of anti-Semitism arose and an investigation into old publications was opened.

The statement follows:

"We, the undersigned journalists and human rights activists, demand Deutsche Welle justice for the Arab journalists who work thereto, including the Jordanian Journalist (Farah Maraqa), after being suspended form work in December 2021, and held an investigation into old publications related to allegations of "anti-Semitism" written before they joined the working with Deutsche Welle Radio, and resided in Germany.

Our colleague (Maraqa) resided in Berlin since four and a half years, after being employed by Deutsche Welle (DW), passing successfully all employments' levels due to her experience, professionalism, independence and respect for journalistic ethics and ethics. These features were prominent in her bold press coverage inside and outside Jordan.

She was also known for her defense of the freedom of the press, publication, opinion and expression, and at a time when Maraqa and her colleagues were subjected to a systematic demonization campaign aimed at excluding them, silencing their free words, and harming their professional and personal future.

Therefore, we condemn the grave violations in German media by publishing Maraqa’s name and full address, along with allegations and accusations that such allegations are facts and for granted, and without listening to her objectively or granting the right of a balanced response, and this violates her right of privacy, losses the presumption of innocence and deprives her of the right to defend herself fairly which exposes her to defamation and possibly danger.

Maraqa's shedding light on the suffering of the Palestinians at the West Bank and Gaza Strip and the violation of their human rights due to Israel’s practices and policies as an occupying force according to international law, cannot be distorted and taken out of context, and considered it as "anti-Semitism". The difference between criticizing Israeli government and its policies, and "anti-Semitism" is clear and obvious.

We are very surprised by the deep profound into Maraqa's journalistic coverage of the Palestinian human rights and humanitarian affairs more than seven years ago, and to return to her old archive. Meanwhile, administrative consequences arranged against her that violates the International Bill of Human Rights, by violating her right to opinion, expression, work, and privacy, and without acknowledging that covering up the crimes of the Israeli government in the occupied Palestinian territories is against the law or professional ethics. However, if it was according to the German law, then these coverages preceded her employment in Germany, and therefore she shall not be held accountable for this coverage in accordance with German legal standards and with a retroactive effect. The attempt to trolling Marqa’s journalistic coverage, and take it out of context with the aim of demonizing or condemning her and her colleagues, an indication of the premeditated intent of the campaign to which they are exposed, aimed at harming them professionally and personally.

We agree with what human rights organizations have said that what Maraqa and her colleagues have been subjected to, involves the use of "anti-Semitism" as a weapon against minority press personalities, and that this campaign is supported by extreme right-wing parties.

We also demand justice and fairness for our colleague Maraqa and her colleagues working for Deutsche Welle, and we affirm their right to preserve their reputation and professional honor, preserve their privacy, and conduct their work in a safe environment away from demonization and intimidation, that enhances their enjoyment of their inherent human rights of opinion and expression, and work without discrimination.

We call upon press, media and human rights institutions and companies that own social media platforms to be aware that using the term “anti-Semitism” as a weapon in the face of journalists, media professionals and human rights defenders, without a clear, precise and specific understanding of the term and its historical context, immunizes Israel’s human rights violations in the occupied Palestinian territories from the right to criticism and publishing, and it restricts journalists and media professionals and exposes them to intimidation, and violates the right of the press to exercise its noble mission freely, independently and objectively, except that it violates the human rights of opinion and expression, and the free circulation of information.

The undersigned: