An Israeli court yesterday extended the detention of Mustafa Kharouf, a Palestinian photojournalist who works for Turkey’s Anadolu Agency, in the West Bank.
The Central Court in occupied East Jerusalem announced its decision to extend the 32-year-old’s incarceration on March 31, a statement released by his family and lawyer said.
Amira Hass: "But when the Shin Bet has the first and last word, can it still be hoped that the logic and the law cited by Lustigman will overcome the blindfold and the handcuffs?" https://t.co/RUN9wmMYZ5
— Marian Houk (@Marianhouk) April 1, 2019
Kharouf’s detention has been extended to May 5, the statement said, adding that the Israeli authorities were trying to expel Kharouf based on what they said was “secret information” which they did not disclose.
Adi Lustigman, Kharouf’s lawyer, said he will appeal to the decision at the Israel High Court.
For the last 20 years, Israeli authorities have consistently refused to grant Kharouf a long-term residence permit, forcing him to obtain tourist visas each year.
Photojournalist Mustafa Kharouf, 32, has been living in #Jerusalem since he was 10. Israeli forces arrested him & he's facing forcible transfer to Jordan because he lives w/out any official documents despite he's married to a resident in Jerusalem.#MustafaMustStay#occupation pic.twitter.com/qhRJ29AmCM
— Elia Ghorbieh (@elia_ghorbiah) February 26, 2019
On January 22, Kharouf was arrested by Israeli Police. Since then he has been held at a deportation center for illegal foreign migrants.
Since Kharouf was born in Algeria, Israeli prosecutors are calling for his expulsion from the West Bank to neighboring Jordan, even though his family hails from Jerusalem. He does not hold full Jordanian citizenship.
I drew this caricature in solidarity with photographer Mustafa Kharouf, who was arrested and threatened to be deported by the #Israel government
# No to deport Mustafa#mustafa_must_stay pic.twitter.com/pjF8yYLkB3— Carlos Latuff (@LatuffCartoons) March 3, 2019
He has worked for the Anadolu Agency as a photographer since August 218.
According to Israel’s Internal Affairs Ministry, 14,630 Palestinians have had their residence permits rescinded in recent years.
In 1967, Israel occupied the West Bank, which is classed as “occupied territory” in international law.
(MEMO, PC, Social Media)
