Israeli police arrested Saeed Hasanein after a television appearance with a Palestinian channel [Screenshot/Al-Aqsa TV]
A Palestinian sports journalist is facing prolonged detention and imprisonment after Israeli authorities accused him of multiple charges after appearing in a television interview with the Hamas-affiliated Al-Aqsa TV.
Saeed Hasanein has been held in detention for around a week and is accused by Israeli police of “incitement”, “supporting terrorism”, and “communicating with a foreign agent”, The New Arab‘s Arabic-language sister site, Al Araby Al-Jadeed, reported.
During a session at the Magistrate’s Court in Acre on Tuesday, prosecutors based their claims against Hasanein on Israel’s designation of Al-Aqsa TV as a “terrorist organisation”. The “foreign agent” in charge is the TV host who interviewed Hasanein.
The court granted a police request to extend the journalist’s detention until Sunday, marking the third extension of his custody.
Members of Hasanein’s family were also interrogated by Israeli police, according to his lawyer, Alaa Mahajneh.
Mahajneh said that although the detention was extended, the judge indicated that Hasanein was unlikely to obstruct the investigation – suggesting that the investigation would soon be concluded.
“We pointed out in court that if the police intend to file an indictment, they can do so, but there should be a distinction between this stage and the trial stage. We requested the release of journalist Saeed Hasanein, arguing that his release poses no danger,” Mahajneh said.
The lawyer said that the case against Hasanein was purely political, and came amid a broader wave of arrests of Palestinian citizens of Israel over their statements and social media posts.
He added that public incitement, particularly by right-wing Israeli media outlets, against Hasanein may increase the likelihood of an indictment.
“It is ultimately up to the police whether to press charges, but we are being realistic,” Mahajneh said.
“Given the Israeli media’s incitement and how the case has become a public issue, an indictment is possible. Right now, our focus is on ending the detention, as arrests should be based on legal grounds, not punishment or sending political messages to the Arab community.”
