Key facts
- Israeli police detained Mohammad Barakeh, a Palestinian community leader and former head of the High Follow-Up Committee for Arab Citizens of Israel.
- Barakeh was questioned for approximately four hours regarding a speech he gave in Ramallah in 2022.
- He was released by a court under restrictive conditions, including a travel ban and passport surrender.
- Police confiscated Barakeh's mobile phones as part of the investigation.
- Palestinian political parties and the High Follow-Up Committee condemned the detention as political persecution and an attempt to intimidate the Arab community.
Israeli police detained Mohammad Barakeh, a prominent Palestinian community leader and former head of the High Follow-Up Committee for Arab Citizens of Israel, on Tuesday. Barakeh was summoned from his home and taken for questioning at a police station in the Ariel settlement in the occupied West Bank, a location described as provocative by his committee. He was questioned for approximately four hours concerning a speech delivered in Ramallah in 2022. Following processing, which included fingerprinting and photography, Barakeh was released by the Petah Tikva Magistrates’ Court under restrictive conditions. These conditions include a travel ban until the end of October, surrender of his passport, and a 30-day ban on entering the occupied West Bank. His two mobile phones were also confiscated for the investigation. Barakeh's lawyer indicated that some restrictions were rejected, and the rights group Adalah is considering an appeal. Palestinian groups, including the High Follow-Up Committee, Hadash, and Balad, condemned the detention, characterizing it as political persecution aimed at intimidating the Arab community, suppressing political activity, and deterring opposition to occupation, racism, and political repression.