Amal Al Hilal - Tunisia
Abdel Raouf Zaqout - Gaza

Two incidents a few days ago in Tunisia and the Gaza Strip sparked criticism over the media's coverage of developments related to the emerging corona virus (COFED-19), putting ethics at stake.

The entry of a television team to a place devoted to the quarantine caused an outrage in Tunisia, following the occurrence of skirmishes between the journalist and some of those present at the headquarters, while media agencies rushed to impose severe penalties against the channel, for violating the ethics of journalistic work.

In its coverage of the epidemic and the mechanisms the authorities deal with it, the private "Ninth" channel broadcast a television program that included a direct connection from inside one of the quarantine lodges, where there are dozens of returnees from affected areas.

There were verbal arguments between the journalist, on the one hand, and some of the people in the hostel who protested against their filming, causing panic and chaos, and prompting the journalist to utter direct statements in an abusive manner against those suspected of being infected with the virus.

The Independent High Commission for Audiovisual Communication (HAICA) - a constitutional body charged with monitoring and adjusting the media landscape - quickly suspended the program for a period of three months and presented the file to the Commission’s Board for consideration.

In a statement, "The Hayka" considered that the program did not respect human dignity and the private life of people, and also included an explicit violation of the journalistic ethics and rules.

The judge and Deputy Chairman of the commission, Omar Al-Waslati, stressed that freedom of the media, guaranteed by the constitution, which is the most important gain after the revolution, must be matched by a responsibility far from the logic of searching for media excitement.

He added to Al-Jazeera Net, "The journalist can criticize the quarantine, its circumstances and the violations that may occur inside it, and this is the task of the media in conveying facts without falsification, but also without going towards indecent assault or publishing news that leads to panic, chaos, or threats to public health."

He pointed out by the interviewer that the commission is not a sword hanging over the necks of journalists, but it is obligated to intervene to amend the audiovisual scene in the country in such circumstances and monitor the extent to which the media respect the basic principles of media freedom and respect for social responsibility.

In turn, the journalistic ethics committee of the National Syndicate of Journalists condemned the incident, saying in an official statement that the journalist "did not have the burning news justification to turn into a field reporter" and the aim of the coverage was closer to creating excitement than to the news.

The union warned of the danger of sending a field reporter in such circumstances and the possibility of being infected, as well as violating the confidentiality of the personal data of the people who were photographed without their consent.

The Committee appealed to all journalists to adhere to the literal ethics of the journalistic profession and to the rules of occupational safety, and to refer to the document published by the Press Syndicate regarding occupational safety in the coverage related to the outbreak of the Corona virus in Tunisia.

The channel apologizes
For its part, the private channel was quick to publish a statement of apology to its audience for the moral transgressions issued by the journalist, stressing that she would take all necessary disciplinary measures with her.

The program's reporter, Walid Brouwais, the reporter for the program, acknowledged the severity of what the journalist did directly, but pointed out that the pressure on the correspondence from inside the quarantine place and from the presenter of the program made her lose her sobriety.

Speaking to Al-Jazeera Net, the program’s author pointed out that the journalistic work was carried out in accordance with the legal controls and procedures, after obtaining all the licenses for photography, and in full respect of the physical safety procedures for the journalist and those in the quarantine place.

Big controversy in Gaza
In Gaza, too, a television report inside the Quarantine Center in the southern Gaza city of Rafah sparked controversy and accusations, after two journalists managed to reach the field hospital where they were afflicted with corona, and the matter reached the quarantine of journalists and an investigation was opened.

Criticism erupted on social media in the Gaza Strip, after the journalists had contact with the doctor supervising the infected cases, amid fears that the infection would spread to them and spread in the Strip.

Without journalist Saeed Al-Tawil, on his Facebook page, "We demand the quarantine of everyone who intermixed, photographed and prepared the unprofessional report."

He added that "the press crew photographed the two Sheikhs with corona in Gaza inside their quarantine at the Rafah crossing, and then they went out and mixed with everyone, their families and other citizens."

Journalist Nidal Al-Wahidi commented on the event, saying, "It is a difference when we cover war and you bear the responsibility of your soul alone, and that you cover a possible epidemic that you can transmit to your family before transferring to the public the full safety of all colleagues and blame on the one who gave the permit."

The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate demanded that an investigation be opened into the circumstances of allowing journalists to enter the quarantine of the injured, using a private car office, and preparing and publishing the report.

The union said in a press statement that "the actions taken by the responsible authorities in Gaza with the crew's stone came late, after the great commotion, the state of discontent and panic caused by the report and the state of anxiety."

The circle of controversy widened after the newspaper Palestine and the Kufiyeh satellite station in Gaza announced the suspension of work in their offices, as they were located in the same building as the two journalists.

In turn, the spokesman for the Ministry of Health in Gaza, Ashraf Al-Qidra, confirmed that the ministry implemented quarantine measures against the journalist and photographer who prepared the report.

Al-Qudra explained to Al-Jazeera Net that the stone of the journalists took place inside the field hospital at the Rafah land crossing in the southern Gaza Strip, stressing that "the ministry will be held accountable for allowing filming inside the stone."

For his part, the government media office in Gaza said that he made decisions regarding the report filmed inside the field hospital in Rafah.

The office spokesman, Salama Marouf, confirmed in a press statement that Al-Jazeera Net has reviewed a copy of it, that what happened from filming a press report in the field hospital for medical isolation in Rafah constitutes a violation of the directives and instructions issued to all the competent authorities.

Marouf added that "an investigation committee has been set up, and a direct decision has been taken to quarantine the two journalists who prepared the said report, and the Ministry of Health will follow up on that immediately."

On the other hand, the "National Agency" responsible for photographing the report replied with a statement of public opinion confirming that it had obtained all the necessary permits for filming, in addition to taking all necessary health measures by the crew.

It is noteworthy that the Gaza Ministry of Health announced that nine citizens were infected with the Corona virus, two of whom were returning to the sector from Pakistan, and seven security personnel who were in contact with them in quarantine.