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July 10, 2025 – Palestine/Israel –
Israeli authorities have extended the detention of Dr. Nasser Laham, editor-in-chief of the Maʿan News Agency and West Bank bureau chief for Al Mayadeen, following his arrest on July 7, 2025. Laham was taken from his home in the town of Ad-Doha, near Bethlehem, during a pre-dawn military raid in which Israeli forces reportedly ransacked his home and confiscated personal belongings.
Laham’s arrest is part of an escalating crackdown on Palestinian journalists amid the ongoing war in Gaza. On July 10, an Israeli military court at Ofer prison ordered that his detention be extended for further interrogation. The court cited “security concerns” and the need to continue investigations as grounds for prolonging his custody, with the extension set to last until at least Sunday. No formal charges have been filed, but Laham is reportedly accused of “incitement,” largely tied to his social media commentary and journalistic work.
The decision to extend his detention has drawn condemnation from Palestinian media organizations and human rights groups, who view the move as a deliberate effort to silence critical press voices in the West Bank. Laham is a prominent journalist known for his decades of reporting and commentary on Palestinian affairs, and his arrest has been widely interpreted as politically motivated.
According to the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate, Laham is one of at least 55 Palestinian journalists currently imprisoned by Israeli authorities, including 22 held under administrative detention without charge or trial. Rights groups have documented repeated cases of mistreatment during interrogation, denial of legal counsel, and a lack of medical care for detained journalists.
Advocates warn that Israel is increasingly using administrative detention as a tool to intimidate and incapacitate the Palestinian media sector. Laham’s case underscores the broader erosion of press freedom in the occupied territories, where military orders, censorship, and targeted arrests have become common features of journalistic life.
As Laham remains behind bars with no clear charges or trial date, his continued detention highlights the dangers Palestinian journalists face for reporting under occupation and during wartime.
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