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June 02, 2025 – Palestine/Israel –
Palestinian journalist Ali al-Samoudi has been held in Israeli administrative detention since April 29, 2025, prompting urgent calls from local and international press freedom organizations for his immediate release. Al-Samoudi, 58, was arrested during a pre-dawn raid on his home in Jenin by Israeli forces. He has not been formally charged and is currently being held under a six-month administrative detention order—a controversial measure that allows imprisonment without trial or due process.
Al-Samoudi is a longtime correspondent for Al-Quds newspaper and a well-known figure in Palestinian media. His arrest is part of a broader pattern, with over 50 Palestinian journalists detained since October 2023, 20 of whom are currently under administrative detention. The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate has warned that al-Samoudi’s health is at serious risk. He suffers from several chronic conditions and still carries bullet fragments in his head from a previous injury sustained while reporting in the field. According to his family, he requires urgent and ongoing medical care, which is not being adequately provided in detention.
Human rights groups and journalist unions, including the National Union of Journalists (NUJ), have condemned his detention, describing it as a blatant attempt to silence media voices in the occupied territories. The NUJ has emphasized that Israeli authorities have provided no credible evidence linking al-Samoudi to any illegal activity. They argue his only “crime” appears to be reporting on the realities of occupation.
The case has sparked renewed concern over the growing risks faced by journalists in conflict zones, particularly in Palestine, where arrests, harassment, and violence against media workers have increased sharply. Press advocacy groups are urging the international community, especially the United Nations and human rights bodies, to intervene and pressure Israeli authorities to release al-Samoudi and protect press freedom.
Al-Samoudi’s continued detention without charge not only jeopardizes his health but also represents a wider assault on the freedom of the press in Palestine. His case is rapidly becoming a symbol of the dangerous environment faced by journalists committed to truth-telling under occupation.
Reference –
Journalists Syndicate urges international action to save detained journalist Ali Sammoudi
