FOTP 2013 Full Report

Approximately 40 percent of the population accessed the internet in 2012, with the vastmajority utilizing internet cafés and other public providers. Website operators continue to useISPs that are either wholly or partly state-owned. The largest is Vietnam Data Communications,which is controlled by the state-owned Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group andserves nearly a third of all internet users. Rising internet penetration has created opportunities fordiscussion and debate about salient public issues, including land rights and environmentalconcerns. This has posed problems for the CPV, which seeks to promote new technology whilerestricting online criticism.West Bank and GazaStatus: Not FreeLegal Environment: 28Political Environment: 34Economic Environment: 22Total Score: 84Survey Edition 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012Total Score, Status 84,NF 86,NF 84,NF 83,NF 83,NFPress freedom in the Palestinian territories continues to be restricted by ongoing violence and byabuses at the hands of three different governing authorities: the Fatah-controlled PalestinianAuthority (PA) in the West Bank, the Hamas-led government in the Gaza Strip, and the IsraelDefense Forces (IDF), which occupy parts of the West Bank and engage in intermittenthostilities with Hamas. Three media workers were killed in November 2012 by Israeliairstrikes—making 2012 the deadliest for journalists in the Palestinian territories since 2009—and scores more faced harassment, detentions, assaults, and restrictions on their freedom toreport throughout the year.The Palestinian basic law and the 1995 Press and Publication Law provide for freedom ofthe press and freedom to establish media outlets, and state that there should be no censorship.However, restrictions are allowed if press activity threatens “national unity” and “Palestinianvalues.” This vague terminology gives authorities ample leeway to impede journalistic activitythrough legal means, including by bringing criminal libel charges. In the West Bank, the PAMinistry of Information regulates all television and radio licenses. Following its 2007 takeoverof Gaza, Hamas introduced a new system of accreditation under which all outlets and journalistsare required to register with the authorities.West Bank and Gaza authorities have banned broadcast outlets and newspapersassociated with Hamas and Fatah, respectively. In early 2012, eight websites critical of the PAand its president, Mahmoud Abbas, were blocked in the West Bank; however, the bans werelifted in May under orders from Abbas. There were some reported instances of the PA, Hamas,and Israeli authorities monitoring e-mail activity and internet chat rooms.According to a 2012 report by the Palestinian Center for Development and MediaFreedoms (MADA), physical attacks, arrests, detentions, and confiscation of equipment by bothPalestinian governments accounted for 31 percent of all press freedom violations in 2012, withIsraeli forces accounting for the remainder. The cumulative pressure has driven many journalists410