Ma'an urges hearing for detained US journalist

Ma'an
District Judge Kobi Vardi heard arguments on Sunday from the Israeli Attorney General's Office against two requests filed by Ma'an on Wednesday seeking to delay the imminent expulsion of journalist Jared Malsin.

A comprehensive translation from Hebrew into English is underway, but a preliminary reading indicates that the attorney general requests there be no hearing because it would make it more difficult for the Ministry of the Interior to deport Malsin.....

The papers conclude by saying Malsin is responsible for the cost of his detention and expulsion...


"We are alarmed by these arguments," said network spokesman George Hale. "In the view of Ma'an, they attempt to legitimize a continued policy of isolation for Jared for which the legal rationale is foggy at best."

"However, we are confident that Justice Vardi is as concerned as we are with the Interior Ministry's lack of transparency, evidenced by its objections to Jared addressing these allegations in a court of law," he added.

According to court documents filed on Thursday evening, signed by an interrogator at Ben Gurion International Airport, Malsin was denied entry for "refusing to cooperate" and for violating visa terms.

Disturbingly, the documents also reveal that interrogators had gathered online research into the journalist's writing history, which transcripts indicate included news stories "criticizing the State of Israel," among other allegations he authored articles "inside the [Palestinian] territories."

Ma'an attorney Castro Daoud argued that these allegations do not constitute a valid justification for denial of entry because none signal Jared posed a security risk, as the documents ultimately conclude. Moreover, none trump the unprecedented violation of press freedom that would accompany his deportation.

See the following for more information:

On the reaction of Palestinian and international press associations:
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=254583
On Jared’s fight to overturn the deportation order:
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=254021
On the timeline of Jared’s detention and questioning:
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=254589

For further inquiries, please contact:

George Hale (English)
+972(0)52.785-4907
Raed Othman (Arabic)
+972(0)59.925-8704
Nasser Lahham (Hebrew)
+972(0)59.925-8704

For the most updated version of this news release, click here:
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=253864