Freedom of Expression by Mohammad Saba’aneh
The arbitrary arrest of Palestinian political cartoonist Mohammad Saba’aneh has set off sparks from all corners of the international community. Saba’aneh was detained without charge by the Israeli military on Saturday Feb. 16 at the Allenby Bridge checkpoint between the occupied West Bank and Jordan. An Israeli military court extended his detention Wednesday for nine days under the pretext of completing an investigation. He has been denied access to a lawyer.
Mohammad Saba’aneh (photo:al-Hayat al-Jadida)
Saba’aneh, a popular editorial cartoonist for al-Hayat al-Jadida, the Palestinian daily newspaper, is also head of public relations at the Arab American University in Jenin.
According to al-Hayat al-Jadida, Saba’aneh is being investigated for providing services to unspecified “hostile organizations,”without disclosing the nature of the services, or the identity of the organizations.
In other words, Israel has just captured another young, talented, charismatic, popular, Palestinian artist with no explanation:
Mohammad Saba’aneh (al-Hayat al-Jadida)
The international response to Saba’aneh’s detainment has been swift.
Dreaming of Freedom by Mohammad Saba’aneh
The Cartoon Movement, a global cartoonist collective, Cartoonists Rights Network International, and Reporters Without Borders have all sounded the alarm. The Committee to Protect Journalists, a New York-based nonprofit organization that works to safeguard press freedom worldwide, called on authorities to immediately release Saba’aneh and allow him access to his lawyer.
Below is a 2010 photo of Mohammed in front of the White house. He attended the annual convention of the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists (AAEC), part of International Visitor Leadership Program sponsored by the U.S. State Department:
Mohammad Saba’aneh visiting Washington, DC in 2010 at invitation of U.S. State Department (Photo: Cartoonists Rights International)
Cartoonist Rights Network International:
Thaer Saba’aneh, a specialist in prisoners’ affairs and brother of the detainee, stated the arrest came as a surprise as Mohammad has never before been detained by the IDF. Mohammad was on his way back home from a conference at the AAU.
The Cartoon Movement and the Cartoonists Rights Network International are working together to find out the reason behind the arrest and to support the cartoonist. At the time of the writing of this alert, we are unable to ascertain the well-being of Mohammad.
Tjeerd Royaards the Editor-in-Chief of The Cartoon Movement drafted this alert which is being forwarded to human rights organizations and government officials. On behalf of our two organizations, CRNI Executive Director Robert Russell has written the following to Michael Oren, the Israeli Ambassador to the United States:
Con’t….
Jerusalem by Mohammad Saba’aneh
Palestinian Journalist Syndicate:
[A]ttacks against journalists comes in the framework of a programmed policy adopted by the leadership of the occupation army designed to target journalists and news crews and the continued harassment of them to restrict their right of movement.
(Hat tip Mondoweiss Commenter Taxi)
Insofar as actually the most powerful Zionist weapon is an unabashed PR-machine-gun, able to emit some thousands anti-Semitism bullets a day, one cannot be surprised. A cartoonist or a writer is really an existential threat for the Israeli apartheid regime.
Moreover, as they can’t stop him simply by the crass violence they use to a presumable member of a Palestinian armed wing, Israel is obviously compelled to inflate its lies, by anchoring Saba’aneh’s activity to that of improbable “hostile organizations.”
It seems just another predictable and disturbing move, in wake of the rampant awareness that will bring to the sinking of the Zionist strategy.
The try is impudent.
Obviously, it’s great that there’s something of an international outcry over Sabaaneh’s kidnap. But there should be the same outcry when ANY Palestinian – not just those who once got invited to Washington – is kidnapped and detained by the occupation forces.
Oh but I’m sure if a documentary is made about his imprisonment, hasbara trolls will say they are proud of Israeli democracy for partially funding said documentary on the ILLEGAL and immoral imprisonment of a Palestinian civilian for no f***ing reason.
As Annie says, if this outrage helps to draw international attention to the larger outrage of Israel’s systematic detention of Palestinians for all sorts of non-reasons, so much the better.
Wow, I’m no reader of Al Hayat al Jadeedah but these images are very beautiful.
I hope he is released soon, and I hope more people make a stink about this. Yes, it’s true that he’s not the only one and it’s true that this happens every day with very few in the media caring, but let’s be pragmatic here, if his arrest draws some attention then it will de facto lead to attention to others kidnapped and imprisoned by Israel.