Hamas arrests journalist for ‘encouraging’ man to commit suicide
Kahlout, 36, was arrested on Friday evening for “encouraging” a resident to harm himself, Ayman al-Batnihi, spokesman for the Hamas police in the Gaza Strip, said.
By KHALED ABU TOAMEHA drug addict stands behind bars at a Hamas-run prison in Gaza City March 1, 2017(photo credit: MOHAMMED SALEM/REUTERS)Hamas security forces arrested Palestinian photojournalist Osama al-Kahlout on suspicion of encouraging a Palestinian man to commit suicide, the terrorist organization said Sunday.Kahlout, 36, was arrested on Friday evening for “encouraging” a resident to harm himself, said Ayman al-Batnihi, spokesman for the Hamas police in the Gaza Strip.Kahlout had told a man from Deir el-Balah refugee camp he would take photos of him while he committed suicide by self-immolation, the spokesman said.The man, identified as Eyas Shehadeh, 35, also has been arrested by Hamas security forces, Batnihi said.Kahlout’s family denied Hamas’s allegations, saying he was arrested because of his journalistic work.A resident of the Gaza Strip last week approached Kahlout for help in solving a dispute that erupted between him and his family, the family said in a statement. The man also complained that he was facing economic and social problems, they said.As a result of the dispute, the resident said he was being forced to sleep on the beach. He threatened to commit suicide if his case was not resolved, Kahlout’s family said. “The Hamas statement contains many errors,” their statement said.In 2019, Kahlout was arrested by Hamas for his alleged role in widespread protests in the Gaza Strip against economic hardship.Palestinian journalists and human-rights activists condemned the arrest of Kahlout and urged Hamas to release him immediately.The arrest comes in the wake of an increase in suicide cases in the Gaza Strip, much to the embarrassment of Hamas. Last week, three Palestinians committed suicide by hanging, shooting and self-immolation in protest of poverty and unemployment.
A number of Palestinians who attended the funeral of one of the victims, Sleman Alajoury, were briefly detained by Hamas militiamen. Two journalists who reported on the suicides were detained for interrogation by Hamas’s Internal Security Force.
