Switzerland Deports Electronic Intifada Director Ali Abunimah After Arrest

Switzerland Deports Electronic Intifada Director Ali Abunimah After Arrest

News January 27, 2025
Switzerland Deports Electronic Intifada Director Ali Abunimah After Arrest
Zurich (Quds News Network)- Swiss authorities deported Ali Abunimah, executive director of The Electronic Intifada, on Monday after detaining him for two nights. Abunimah had arrived in Zurich on Friday for a series of speaking events at the invitation of local organizers. Police questioned him for an hour at the airport before allowing him entry. On Saturday, plainclothes officers violently arrested Abunimah ahead of his scheduled event. According to The Electronic Intifada, witnesses reported that three officers forced him into an unmarked vehicle without disclosing his destination. Abunimah spent two nights in jail before being deported. His arrest reflects a growing trend of Western governments cracking down on Palestinian solidarity. Last year, British authorities used counter-terrorism powers to arrest, raid, or charge activists and journalists, including journalist Asa Winstanley. Winstanley’s home was raided, and his devices were seized, though he faced no charges. The raid drew condemnation from the Committee to Protect Journalists and Britain’s National Union of Journalists. Abunimah’s detention sparked global outrage. A petition demanding his release garnered over 15,000 signatures. Two UN human rights experts condemned Switzerland’s actions. Irene Khan, the UN special rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression, called the arrest “shocking” and urged Switzerland to investigate and release Abunimah. Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur on the West Bank and Gaza Strip, warned of a “toxic” climate for free speech in Europe. Geneva-based human rights group Euro-Med Monitor also criticized the arrest, calling it a “dangerous development” that highlights Western governments’ increasing censorship of free speech and targeting of activists supporting Palestinian rights.

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