Al-Jazeera Network on Wednesday demanded the release of its staffer Samer Allawi, Al-Jazeera’s Afghanistan Bureau Chief, who was picked up by Israeli authorities from his home in the occupied West Bank.
“We demand immediate release of Allawi who was arrested by Israeli officials without assigning any reason while on vacation with his family in the occupied West Bank,” Al-Jazeera in a statement said.
“Israeli authorities detained Allawi on August 10, 2011 while he was leaving the occupied West Bank after a three-week vacation in his hometown of Sabastiya, North of Nablus. Allawi was arrested at the King Hussein Bridge, formerly known as the Allenby border, and taken to a prison comp in Jalama (Kishon), East of Haifa. He was initially placed under detention for 96 hours, yet his arrest was extended and he remains in Israeli state custody,” the statement said.
The lawyer appointed to defend Allawi said that he was interrogated by Israeli intelligence forces. Allawi, who began working at Al-Jazeera in 2006, was asked about his work and management of Al-Jazeera’s bureau in Afghanistan. Officials took the login details for his personal work email and news software information. Interrogators questioned Allawi about his financial status and his relationships with family and relatives. He was also asked about his work and personal relationships during his school days in Nablus and his college years in Islamabad.
Israeli authorities accused Allawi of being a member of Hamas and contacting its military leadership. Allawi was asked if he had had any contact with US, Jordanian, Palestinian or any other intelligence forces.
Allawi holds a Palestinian identity card, and has regularly spent his yearly summer vacation with his family and relatives in his hometown in the occupied West Bank.
Al-Jazeera Network reiterated its demand that Israeli authorities immediately release journalist Samer Allawi.