Mohammed Omer (journalist) explained
Mohammed Omer Almoghayer |
Native Name: | محمد عمر المغير |
Native Name Lang: | ar |
Birth Place: | Rafah Camp |
Nationality: | Palestinian |
Occupation: | Author |
Mohammed Omer Almoghayer (ar|محمد عمر المغير), (born 1984) is a Palestinian author. He has reported for numerous media outlets, including The New York Times, the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs,[1] Al Jazeera,[2] New Statesman,[3] Pacifica Radio, Electronic Intifada,[4] The Nation,[5] Inter Press Service,[6] Free Speech Radio News,[7] Vermont Guardian,[8] ArtVoice Weekly,[9] the Norwegian Morgenbladet,[10] and Dagsavisen, the Swedish dailies Dagen Nyheter and Aftonbladet the Swedish magazine Arbetaren,[11] the Basque daily Berria, the German daily Junge Welt and the Finish magazine Ny Tid.[12] He also founded Rafah Today[13] and is the author of several books, including Shell-Shocked. His work has been translated into 23 languages, including Hindi, Chinese, Portuguese, Spanish, French and Japanese. He completed his doctoral studies, culminating in a PhD degree, at both Columbia University and Erasmus University Rotterdam. [14] During his time, he also held a prestigious scholarship. In 2015, he assumed the role of a Research Scholar at Harvard University.[15]
Awards
In 2008, Omer was awarded the 2007 Martha Gellhorn Prize for Journalism.[16] In the award citation, he was honored as "the voice of the voiceless" and his reports were described as an "humane record of the injustice imposed on a community forgotten by much of the world".[17] Noam Chomsky said he had been following Omer's work for several years and was pleased to learn of his award, "an honor that he richly deserves". He went on, he "...has continued his work with courage and integrity. It is no exaggeration to say that he can serve as a model of honorable journalism."[18] He was awarded the Ossietzky Prize by the Norwegian branch of P.E.N. International in 2009, for "outstanding achievements within the field of free expression".[19] He was also given an honorable mention in Pulse Media's 20 Top Global Media Figures of 2009.[20]
- "Best Youth Voice" (2006).[21]
- Martha Gellhorn Prize for Journalism (2008) [16]
- Ossietzky Prize (2009
- Press Freedom Prize (2009)[22]
- Ranked 398 by Arabian Business Power 500 (2013)[23]
Background
Omer was born and raised in the Rafah refugee camp at the southern end of the Gaza Strip near the Egyptian border. He began working to support his family at the age of six when his father was in an Israeli prison. In time, he took a job at a backpack factory and since then has been a translator, journalist and program co-ordinator.[24]
Omer graduated with dual bachelor degrees, English and literature, from the Islamic University of Gaza in June 2006.[25]
Incidents
Israeli restrictions have sometimes stopped him travelling to the West Bank.[26]
In 2008, while traveling back to the Gaza Strip via Allenby Bridge to the West Bank, Omer reported that he was stripped to his underwear, humiliated and beaten by Israeli soldiers while traveling into the West Bank from Jordan.[27] According to a United Nations report, Omer is convinced that the brutal assault occurred when the security services were frustrated at their inability to confiscate the money he had been awarded.[28]
He was subsequently hospitalized on his return to Gaza, where it was discovered that he had sustained several broken ribs and various bodily contusions as a result of the ordeal. Omer has recovered since and has been able to maintain his position as a journalist.[29] [30] The government of The Netherlands, which had sent a diplomatic mission to welcome Omer and accompany him to Gaza, lodged an official protest with Israel about his mistreatment.[31]
External links
Notes and References
- Web site: Washington Report correspondent Mohammed Omer speaks with Hesham Tillawi . . 17 October 2011 . 24 November 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111124163714/http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2521913877465435302 . dead .
- Web site: Mohammed Omer . Al Jazeera English.
- Web site: Mohammed Omer . New Statesman.
- Web site: Mohammed Omer . Electronic Intifada.
- Web site: Mohammed Omer . The Nation. 2 April 2010 .
- Web site: Mohammed Omer . https://web.archive.org/web/20080630020912/http://ipsnews.net/new_focus/GellhormPrize/omer.asp . 2008-06-30 . Inter Press Service.
- Web site: What the press will never tell you about Gaza . Right to Facts . November 2006 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110826054651/http://righttofacts.blogspot.com/2006_11_01_archive.html . 26 August 2011 . 17 October 2011 . dead .
- Web site: Mohammed Omer . https://web.archive.org/web/20111102183549/http://www.vermontguardian.com/local/122006/Omer.shtml . 2011-11-02 . Vermont Guardian.
- Web site: Mohammed Omer . It's all about people . 30 November 2006 . 6 June 2024.
- Web site: Gazas nye eliter. https://web.archive.org/web/20111010005654/http://www.morgenbladet.no/article/20110930/OAKTUELT/709309917 . 2011-10-10 . .
- Web site: https://archive.today/20120527064046/http://www.arbetaren.se/articles/inrikes20080630 . 27 May 2012 . Palestinsk journalist slogs medvetslös . live . . 30 June 2008 . Agnes . Brynge.
- Web site: Mohammed Omer. .
- Web site: Home. Rafah Today .
- Web site: Mohammed Omer, witness to revolution in Egypt & the struggle for freedom in Gaza . Center for Palestine Studies . 4 March 2011 . Columbia University.
- Web site: Mohammed Omer Compares U.S. Immigrant Detentions, Mass Incarceration And Gaza . WBEZ Chicago . 13 December 2016.
- Web site: Previous Winners. .
- Web site: Reporters share Gellhorn prize . . 19 May 2008 . Caitlin . Fitzsimmons.
- Web site: Norway grants award to Rafah journalist . . 3 October 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20101009191137/http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=319671 . 9 October 2010 . 17 October 2011 . dead .
- Web site: Mohammed Omer awarded the Ossietzky Prize . Norsk P.E.N. . 12 November 2009 . 2010-09-16 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100103165833/http://www.norskpen.no/php/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=457&Itemid=113 . 2010-01-03 .
- Web site: 20 Top Global Media Figures of 2009 . . December 31, 2009 . 6 June 2024.
- Web site: Winners of the First National Ethnic Media Awards . New American Media . https://web.archive.org/web/20070116105618/http://news.newamericamedia.org/news/view_custom.html?custom_page_id=323 . 16 January 2007 . 17 October 2011 . dead .
- Web site: Pressfrihetspris till palestinsk fotograf . Journalisten . https://web.archive.org/web/20090215141302/http://www.journalisten.se/artikel/18194/pressfrihetspris-till-palestinsk-fotograf . 2009-02-15 . live . 5 February 2009 . sv.
- Web site: Arabian Business Power 500 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304030215/http://m.arabianbusiness.com/arabian-business-power-500-2013-493796.html?sort=rank . 2016-03-04 . arabianbusiness.com.
- Web site: Christian . Avard . Gaza journalist Mohammed Omer: His life and words . Vermont Guardian . 8 December 2006 . Electronic Intifada . 6 June 2024.
- Web site: Biography of Gaza Correspondent Mohammed Omer . https://web.archive.org/web/20081109205429/http://www.p4pd.org/mohammed_omer_bio.pdf . 2008-11-09 . Washington Report on Middle East Affairs . 2006 . 17 November 2008.
- Web site: Viewpoints from Sderot and Rafah . BBC News . 24 January 2008 . 6 June 2024.
- Web site: Award-Winning Palestinian Journalist Mohammed Omer Details Abuse by Israeli Security Officials Democracy Now! . Democracy Now . 7 July 2008 . 6 June 2024.
- Web site: Report of the Special Rapporteur in accordance with Human Rights Council resolution 5/1 . https://web.archive.org/web/20081123051332/http://domino.un.org/unispal.nsf/9a798adbf322aff38525617b006d88d7/061f1f4fbdecffe5852574d60065b4ba!OpenDocument . 2008-11-23 . Mr. Omer is convinced that the brutal assault on his person was carried out by Shin Bet personnel who were fully aware that he had received the Gellhorn Prize while abroad, and were attempting to confiscate the award money, but were frustrated because it had been deposited in a bank account and was unavailable. . 25 September 2008 . 26 October 2008 . United Nations.
- Web site: Mel . Frykberg . Israelis Assault Award Winning IPS Journalist . Inter Press Service . 28 June 2008 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080629041604/http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=43005 . 29 June 2008 . 1 July 2008 . dead .
- Web site: Gaza Reporter Says Mistreated By Israel . The New York Times . 30 June 2008.
- Web site: Netherlands protests treatment of journalist . https://archive.today/20081205125431/http://www.radionetherlands.nl/news/international/5852011/Netherlands-protests-treatment-of-journalist . 2008-12-05 . Radio Netherlands . 27 June 2008.