Israeli court extends detention of Quds Press editor

An Israeli court has extended the detention of Ahmed Al-Betawi, editor at Quds Press International news agency, for eight days under claiming further investigations are needed, his legal team said yesterday.

Lawyer Gamal Mohamed added that the investigation was taking place in the Petah Tikva detention centre where Al-Betwai was detained since his arrest at his house in Nablus on Monday.

Mohamed pointed out that the Israeli court has refused to allow any of Al-Betwai’s lawyers to be present to defend him during the court sessions, adding that he submitted a request to visit the detainee in the coming days.

On Monday at 3am, an Israeli army force stormed Al-Betawi’s family home, located in Al-Dahiya neighbourhood east of Nablus, They searched him and his belongings then confiscated his laptop, before leaving the house with Al-Betawi, who was then taken to an unknown location.

Al-Betawi, 33, was previously arrested in February, but he was released on bail in May and placed under house arrest, he was allowed to leave his house for only one hour a day.