Nasser Laham Freed from Israeli Detention after Enduring ‘Harsh Conditions

July 16, 2025 News
Journalist and director of Al Mayadeen's office in occupied Palestine, Nasser Laham. (Photo: via Social Media)

By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

The Israeli military court at Ofer Prison had previously extended Laham’s detention twice.

Israeli authorities have released Al Mayadeen’s Palestine bureau chief, Nasser Laham, after being detained under “harsh conditions” for nine days, the Beirut-based news channel said.

Lahham’s lawyer, Osama al-Saadi, confirmed that the veteran journalist was released on Wednesday without any charges, restrictions, or conditions attached. He described the conditions of 60-year-old Laham’s detention as “harsh,” noting that Israeli authorities failed to substantiate any of the accusations brought against him, the report stated.

Al-Saadi said the delays in freeing Laham were driven by “vengeful and oppressive motives” rather than any legal grounds, adding that there had been serious concerns that the journalist might be placed under administrative detention – held without charge or trial.

“The Israeli occupation failed to provide any legal basis for holding Nasser al-Lahham, despite extensive interrogation and scrutiny,” al-Saadi said.

Laham categorically denied all charges leveled against him, asserting that all his writings and public positions were transparent and well known, his lawyer stated.

Detention Extended Twice

The Israeli military court at Ofer Prison had previously extended Laham’s detention twice, with the most recent extension issued last Sunday under the pretext of “continuing the investigation,” the report noted, citing the Commission for Detainees and the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club.

Laham was held in Room 19 of Section 21 at Ofer Prison, where overcrowding, poor food quality, skin diseases, and a lack of medical care were reported.

Nasser Laham Held in Difficult Health Conditions, Needs Urgent Treatment

The Commission also noted that he was denied proper care despite his heart condition and was held in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions at Ofer Prison. He was reportedly permitted only ten minutes outside his cell each day.

Last year, the Israeli government approved a proposal to ban Al Mayadeen while Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi “signed an order to confiscate” the channel’s equipment and “block its websites,” according to the Times of Israel.

According to the Commission of Prisoners and Ex-Prisoners Affairs and the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club, Israel has detained 193 prisoners since the beginning of its genocidal assault on Gaza in October 2023. Fifty journalists remain in detention, with many charged with allegations of “incitement” and some are being held under administrative detention under the pretext of a “secret file,” the organizations said in a statement.

Staggering Death Toll

Since Israel’s reneging on the ceasefire on March 18, it has killed and wounded thousands of Palestinians throughout the Gaza Strip through a bloody and ongoing aerial bombardment.

On October 7, 2023, following a Palestinian Resistance operation in southern Israel, the Israeli military launched a genocidal war against the Palestinians, killing over 57,000, wounding more than 137,000, with over 14,000 still missing.

Despite habitual condemnation by many countries around the world of the Israeli genocide, little has been done to hold Israel accountable.

Israel is currently under investigation for the crime of genocide by the International Court of Justice, while accused war criminals — including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — are now officially wanted by the International Criminal Court.

The Israeli genocide has been largely defended, supported, and financed by Washington and a few other Western power.

(Al Mayadeen, PC)

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