Israel jails Palestinian journalist, leading astrophysicist on flimsy charges

Israel jails Palestinian journalist, leading astrophysicist on flimsy charges
An Israeli court on Monday ordered a Palestinian journalist to four months in detention without charge or trial under the country's controversial 'administrative detention' law.
3 min read
03 May, 2016
Palestinian journalists protested Omar Nazzal's detention [AFP]

An Israeli military court ordered a Palestinian journalist to be jailed for four months without trial or any charges Monday, on the eve of World Press Freedom Day.

Omar Nazzal was arrested on 23 April at the border between the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Jordan.

He had been due to fly to a European Federation of Journalists gathering in Bosnia.

The military court met on Sunday before announcing its decision to put him in "administrative detention" for four months, said Wafa, the official Palestinian news agency.

An Israeli army spokeswoman confirmed Nazzal would be held in administrative detention until 22 August "over his participation in a terrorist organisation" and not "because of his activity as a journalist", as she claimed.

Under its administrative detention law, Israel can hold "suspects" for indefinite periods without charging or putting them on trial.

Israel's Shin Bet security service claimed Nazzal, a member of the general secretariat of the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate (PJS), was detained because of "his involvement in terror group activities".

It said the journalist, 54, was recently appointed to a top position at Falestine al-Youm television, which Israel's army forcibly closed in Ramallah on accusations of incitement to violence.

Nazzal left the position several months ago.

Monday's court announcement comes on the eve of World Press Freedom Day.

Hanan Ashrawi, a Palestinian political leader, on Monday urged immediate intervention "to ensure Israel is accountable for the blatant and planned escalation against Palestinian media".

The Palestinian journalists' union says that Israel is also holding in detention another 19 Palestinian journalists and students of journalism, one of them for more than 20 years.

Israel has also forced the closure of several Palestinian television and radio stations since the outbreak of a wave of attacks that has killed more than 200 Palestinians and about 30 Israelis since October.

Israeli authorities ordered Palestinian astrophysicist Imad Barghouthi to be held in administrative detention until 24 June

Israel arrests leading Palestinian scientist

Also on Monday, Israeli authorities ordered Palestinian astrophysicist Imad Barghouthi to be held in administrative detention until 24 June, according to a statement by his family.

The renowned 53-year-old professor of space physics at al-Quds University in East Jerusalem was arrested at an Israeli military checkpoint, near the village of Nabi Saleh in the central occupied West Bank on 24 April.

He had been returning home to a nearby village.

Barghouthi was previously arrested in 2014 while passing though the Israeli-controlled border with Jordan on his way to a conference in the United Arab Emirates.

The leading scientist was interrogated about material he had posted on Facebook. Protests from scientists worldwide led to his release from prison a month later.

Barghouti is a leading researcher, publishing frequently in academic astrophysics journals, and has previously worked for NASA.