Israel releases Anadolu Agency’s photojournalist

By AbdelRaouf Arnaout

JERUSALEM (AA) - Israeli authorities on Thursday released Anadolu Agency’s photojournalist Mustafa Kharouf from Giv'on Prison in the occupied city of Ramallah after spending 10 months in detention.

Kharouf was released after the Israeli authorities failed to deport him from the Palestinian territory.

Until Thursday morning, the Israeli prosecution attempted to block Kharouf’s release but they failed.

His lawyer, Ady Lustigman, told Anadolu Agency that the Israeli Interior Ministry tried to keep him in jail but the prison appeals court rejected the ministry's request.

According to Lustigman, Kharouf’s family paid bail to the Israeli immigration authorities.

She added that the Israeli prosecution has given Kharouf a 21-day period for "family unification" which can be extended.

Also, she pointed out that "Kharouf is still threatened by deportation and detention despite his release."

"We will continue to defend him by all legal means to prevent his deportation," she asserted.

Israeli police arrested Kharouf on Jan. 22, 2019, and placed him in Giv'on Prison, which is intended to deport illegal foreign workers.

The Israeli prosecution calls for deporting Kharouf from the Palestinian territories, although he and all his family members have lived in Jerusalem for 20 years.

Israeli authorities say that Kharouf, who has been living in Jerusalem with his family since he was 12, was born in Algeria.

For the last 20 years, Israeli authorities have consistently rejected to grant Kharouf a long-term residency permit, forcing him to obtain fresh tourist visas each year.