Senior PLO official Hanan Ashrawi on Saturday attacked Palestinian
Authority "censorship" after authorities in Ramallah shut down
websites criticising president Mahmud Abbas.
"Palestine should not promote censorship, whether on the Internet or
in other forms of communication," Ashrawi, an MP and Palestine
Liberation Organisation executive committee member said in a
statement.
"The blocking of Palestinian news websites and other measures that
prevent access to information and curb freedom of expression are in
complete contradiction to the principles enshrined in the
(Palestinian) Basic Law," she said.
Palestinian telecommunications minister Mashour Abu Daqqa announced
his resignation on Friday, after the public prosecutor ordered the
closure of several political websites.
He did not connect his departure to the shutdown, citing
only "personal reasons" on which he did not elaborate to AFP.
The public prosecutor´s decision drew condemnation from rights groups
and the United States.
