New York, April 16, 2002—CPJ is deeply concerned for the safety of Associated Press (AP) reporter Mohamed Daraghmeh, who was detained by Israeli forces in the West Bank city of Nablus today.
Israeli troops took Daraghmeh and several other Palestinian men from his building early this morning during an army sweep of the neighborhood.
Dan Perry, AP bureau chief in Jerusalem and head of Israel’s Foreign Press Association, told CPJ that Israeli authorities have refused to divulge Daraghmeh’s current location. And while the authorities agreed to expedite Daraghmeh’s release, the journalist was still in detention as of late this afternoon.
Daraghmeh has been covering the northern West Bank for the AP since 1996. He also writes for the Palestinian daily Al-Ayam.
Last week, Israeli forces arrested several Palestinian journalists in Bethlehem and another in Ramallah.
ENDS
