January 23, 2009, Jerusalem: Israeli security forces invaded the home of an Alternative Information Center (AIC) staff member and activist early Thursday morning and detained him for interrogation.

AIC staff member Mohammad Abu Humus was taken at 3 a.m. January 22 by masked members of the Israeli security forces, who raided his home with drawn weapons. Mr Abu Humus was subsequently brought before a judge, who acquiesced to the police request and extended his detention for 11 days.

The AIC is a joint Israeli-Palestinian advocacy organization, and a partner of The Advocacy Project (AP).

Mr Abu Humus, 43, is a resident of the East Jerusalem village of Issawiya and a longtime political and social activist in East Jerusalem.

The AIC contends his detention is part of Israel’s wider campaign to repress the legitimate right of Palestinian residents and citizens of Israel to protest Israeli actions in Gaza and exercise their right to freedom of expression. Since the beginning of Israel’s military attacks on Gaza, more than 300 Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem have been detained, arrested and taken for interrogation by the Israeli security services.

For the past several days, Israeli forces have entered Issawiya every night, detaining prominent political activists.

All of the police evidence concerning Mr Abu Humus’ detention is classified. He is accused of involvement in unruly protests against Israeli military actions in Gaza, which he vehemently denies. The classified nature of the evidence calls into question the Israeli authorities’ motives of the Israeli authorities for detaining Mr Abu Humus.

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