On October 27, 2023, Israeli forces arrested Palestinian freelance journalist Belal Arman, who contributed to the now-banned J-Media news agency, after surrounding his home in Ramallah, West Bank, according to the Palestinian press freedom organization MADA, the Beirut-based press regional freedom organization SKeyes, and the Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate.
Arman was placed under administrative detention, and released on May 24, 2024, after seven months in detention.
Arman told CPJ that throughout his detention he was subjected to repeated abuse, starvation, fear, deprivation of basic rights, humiliation, and daily beatings. He said that from the time of his arrest at home until his transfer to Etzion detention camp and later Ofer Prison, he was beaten, handcuffed with his hands tied behind his back and his legs bound, blindfolded, kicked in the genitals, pushed down stairs, and strip-searched.
Arman said that on November 16, 2023, he and a group of Palestinian detainees were transferred from Ofer Prison to a facility run by the Israeli military and Shin Bet, where they were severely beaten, attacked by dogs, and sprayed with gas and pepper spray.
Arman also told CPJ that he was subjected to sexual abuse, including beatings with various tools, the use of batons, and unwanted touching of his genitals.
Arman said Israeli authorities accused him of posing a “media danger” because of his work, and that although, according to his account, he had produced no material that violated Israeli law, his administrative detention was renewed twice on the grounds that there was sufficient material to keep him in detention because of the war.
Arman said he was tried by video conference, did not see the judge or his lawyer, could not hear what was happening, was not allowed to speak, and sometimes waited up to a week to learn the ruling in his case.
Arman told CPJ that he lost more than 20 kilograms because of the small quantities of food given to detainees and developed a skin condition on his feet that he still suffers from. He added that he was threatened with re-arrest after his release and has not returned to journalism since leaving prison, having lost both his job and his equipment during his detention. He said he now works as a laborer.
On October 16, the IDF ordered the J-Media agency to shut down, according to MADA and the London-based news website The New Arab. In a statement, the IDF described the media outlet as “an illegal organization” and said its closure was necessary for “the sake of the security of the State of Israel and for the safety of the public and public order,” those sources said, adding that J-Media complied and ceased operations.
Arman was one of 17 Palestinian journalists placed in Israeli custody—four of whom worked for J-Media —as of December 1, 2023, the date of CPJ’s annual prison census.
Arman’s testimony was included in the CPJ special report, “We returned from hell,” published in February 2026, which compiles accounts from 58 journalists who reported patterns of abuse, torture and mistreatment against Palestinian journalists inside Israeli prisoners.
The Israeli military did not respond to CPJ’s repeated requests for comment on specific allegations by journalists, instead requesting ID numbers and geographic coordinates that CPJ does not collect or provide. When asked about allegations of physical and sexual abuse, starvation, and the investigation and accountability process, an army spokesperson said “individuals detained are treated in accordance with international law,” adding that the armed forces “have never, and will never, deliberately target journalists,” and that any violations of protocol “will be looked into.”
CPJ also emailed the Israel Prison Service (IPS) regarding the allegations. In response, the IPS said “all prisoners are detained according to the law” and that “all basic rights are fully upheld by professionally trained prison guards.” The service said it was unaware of the claims described, and that to its knowledge “no such events have occurred,” but noted that “prisoners and detainees have the right to file a complaint that will be fully examined and addressed by official authorities.”