Washington, DC – American Palestinian journalist Ali Abunimah confirmed that the Swiss authorities released and expelled him after hearing it for three days.
Abunimah, executive director of the intifada electronic publication, suggested on Monday in an article on social networks that Switzerland stopped it because of its advocacy for Palestinian rights.
“My” crime “? Being a journalist who speaks for Palestine and against the genocide of Israel and colonial savagery and those who help and slaughter it, “he wrote.
Abunimah was arrested in Zurich on Saturday before he was about to give a speech in the city, arousing the indignation of the defenders of Palestinian rights.
The Swiss Embassy in Washington, DC, did not immediately respond to the request for comments from Al Jazeera.
The reuters news agency reported on Sunday that the Swiss police had quoted a ban on entry and other measures under the country’s immigration law as a reason for the arrest of Abunimah.
The American Palestinian journalist said that when he was questioned by police, they accused him of being “offended against Swiss law” without granting specific accusations.
He said he was “cut from communication with the outside world, in a 24 -hour cell”, adding that he was unable to contact his family. He added that his phone had only been returned to the door of the plane that stole him in Istanbul.
Abunimah noted that during the period he was taken to prison as a “dangerous criminal”, Switzerland welcomed Israeli President Israeli Herzog at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
Herzog aroused controversy for his position on the War of Israel against Gaza, which killed more than 47,000 Palestinians. He previously declared that there were no “unrescited civilians” in Gaza.
“This test lasted three days, but this taste for prison was more than enough to leave me even more impressed by the Palestinian heroes who last for months and years in the prisons of the genocidal oppressor,” said Abunimah.
“More than ever, I know that the debt we owe is one that we can never reimburse and all must be free and they must remain our goal.”
I’m free! I wrote this on the plane and post it right after landing in Istanbul. Monday evening, I was brought to Zurich airport in handcuffs, in a small metal cage inside a windowless prison van and led to the plane by the police. It’s after three days and two … pic.twitter.com/s4bf2eeyyq
– Ali Abunimah (@aliabunimah) January 27, 2025
The United Nations experts had decreased the detention of Abunimah as an assault against freedom of expression.
Irene Khan, a United Nations Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Opinion and Expression, described Abunimah’s arrest on Saturday as a “shocking news” and urged his release.
Francesca Albanese, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in occupied Palestinian territories, also called for an investigation into the incident.
“The climate surrounding freedom of expression In Europe, becomes more and more toxic and we must all worry, “wrote Albanese in an article on social networks.
Abunimah’s detention occurred in the midst of increased repression on pro-Palestine votes in Europe in the middle of the Gaza Warthat UN experts compared to the genocide.
In April, Germany closed a conference for defenders of Palestinian rights and denied entry to British doctor Ghassan Abu Sittahwho had worked in Gaza.
Activists also accused the German authorities of having repressed during demonstrations Throughout the war.
In October 2024, the police of the fight against British terrorism made a descent into the house of the intifada electronic colleague of Abunimah, Asa Winstanley – an incident that the committee to protect journalists (CPJ) declared to be part of a “Troubling model of drafting laws on counter-terrorism against reporters”.
British authorities earlier months held journalist Richard Medhurst, who criticizes Israeli policies for 24 hours when he arrived in London.
Medhurst said on Saturday that the “terrorism” investigation against him had been extended until May.
In Gaza, Israel killed 205 journalists since the start of the war in October 2023, according to local authorities.
