'Israel' extends detention of Al Mayadeen bureau chief until Sunday
Earlier today, the head of the PPS, Abdullah al-Zaghari, confirmed that Nasser al-Lahham, Al Mayadeen's bureau chief in the occupied Palestinian territories, was being subjected to interrogation proceedings before the Israeli military court at Ofer prison, following his arrest from his residence in Beit Lahm several days ago.
Speaking to Al Mayadeen, al-Zaghari stated that al-Lahham appeared in court earlier in the day, amid indications that the Israeli authorities plan to extend his detention under the pretext of 'continuing the investigation.'
He added that several legal outcomes remain under consideration: al-Lahham may be released, his detention may be further extended pending investigation, or he could be placed under administrative detention.
Administrative detention permits "Israel" to hold Palestinians without formal charges for up to six months at a time, with the option for indefinite renewals. This practice enables military prosecutors to withhold evidence from suspects while arguing that the individual poses a significant threat despite insufficient evidence for an indictment.
Israeli authorities have significantly escalated their use of administrative detention against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. This increase in arbitrary detentions, along with extended emergency measures that enable inhumane treatment of Palestinians, has been accompanied by a lack of investigation into incidents of torture and deaths in Israeli detention recently.
Released detainees, human rights lawyers, and video evidence have provided accounts of the severe torture and mistreatment prisoners have endured, including violent beatings, sexual abuse, forced humiliation, and cruel treatment such as being forced to kneel during inmate counts or sing Israeli songs.
Administrative detention is one of the key tools through which "Israel" has enforced its system of apartheid against Palestinians. Testimonies and video evidence also point to numerous incidents of torture and other ill-treatment by Israeli forces including severe beatings and deliberate humiliation of Palestinians who are detained in dire conditions.
The Palestinian Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs, along with the Palestinian Prisoner's Society (PPS), confirmed on Tuesday that the Israeli occupation authorities have transferred Al Mayadeen's bureau chief in Palestine, Nasser al-Lahham, from the Maskoubiyeh interrogation center to Ofer Prison.
Member of the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate, Omar Nazzal, said the Israeli interrogation of al-Lahham was focused on his work with Al Mayadeen TV.
The occupation forces detained al-Lahham at dawn from his home in Beit Lahm, amid an intensified campaign by "Israel" targeting journalists at an unprecedented scale since the start of the ongoing genocide in Gaza, the Commission and the PPS stated.
According to the statement, the number of journalists who have been arrested or detained since the beginning of the genocide has reached 193. Of those, 50 journalists remain in detention, including Al Mayadeen's al-Lahham.
The Commission and the PPS noted that the majority of detained journalists are facing charges related to so-called 'incitement' through social media platforms and news outlets, while others are held under administrative detention based on alleged 'secret files'.
The Israeli occupation also categorizes journalists in Gaza as so-called "unlawful combatants".
Al Mayadeen Media Network issued a strong-worded statement on Monday denouncing the violent detention of its bureau chief in occupied Palestine. The network said the arrest was carried out with "brutality and repression," demanding al-Lahham's immediate release.
Al Mayadeen labeled al-Lahham's detention as part of a wider campaign of repression carried out by Israeli authorities against Palestinian journalists.
"We are not surprised by the occupation's sadistic practices," Al Mayadeen said, "nor by its persistent hostility toward journalism, journalists, and the right to report the truth."
Al Mayadeen's statement asserted that al-Lahham is one of the most renowned names in Palestinian media, with more than 30 years of experience in journalism. His arrest drew immediate condemnation from across the Arab world, with media figures, press freedom advocates, and political movements expressing solidarity.
"For us, Nasser is more than a bureau chief. He is a leading voice in Palestinian journalism, a symbol of purposeful reporting, and a steadfast defender of his people's rights," Al Mayadeen's statement asserted.
In late October 2023, Israeli forces raided al-Lahham's home, assaulting his wife and children, conducting an intrusive search, and detaining his two sons, Basil and Basel.
Read more: Al Mayadeen holds Beirut, Tehran rallies in support of Nasser Lahham
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