TEHRAN- On Thursday, the Artists at Risk Connection (ARC) released a statement expressing deep concern for the well-being of young Palestinian documentary filmmaker Abdallah Motan. Arrested by Israeli authorities on January 13, he has been sentenced to six months of "administrative detention" without trial or charges.

Motan, a 30-year-old film director, director of photography, and photographer from Ramallah, has a history of producing documentary films both in Palestine and internationally. 

In December, his film “Deferred Reclaim” won the special jury award in the Gaza section of the 18th edition of the International Documentary Film Festival of Iran, known as Cinéma Vérité, held in Tehran.

Motan was unable to attend the closing ceremony due to the prevailing conditions in Palestine and Gaza. In a note addressed to the festival organizers, he expressed his gratitude: "Thank you for honoring the stories of the martyrs, the prisoners, and their families in Palestine; I wish I could have been present at the closing ceremony."

He has particularly strong ties with Italy, having spent eighteen months in Naples for a journalistic internship. He is scheduled to return to Italy this February to participate in the 21st edition of the AI Ard Film Festival, organized by the Sardinia-Palestine Friendship Association.

In addition to his filmmaking, Motan has been instrumental in organizing local film workshops, including one in the Palestinian village of Al-Zubaidat in the Jordan Valley, aimed at empowering aspiring young men and women to use basic tools for documentation and editing to articulate their daily experiences.

His body of work encompasses numerous local and international projects, including documentaries filmed across Latin America, Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and China. He has also participated in numerous film festivals worldwide.

According to the Israeli authorities, Motan was arrested at the Al-Karama crossing while attempting to leave the country for the United Arab Emirates via Jordan, though they provided no further details. He is currently being held at the Gush Etzion detention facility near Hebron, which has faced criticism for its poor conditions and treatment of detainees.

The ARC has joined other organizations, including the International Coalition for Filmmakers at Risk (ICFR) and the IDFA Institute, in demanding Motan's release and urging the Israeli authorities to protect Palestinian artists and cultural workers.

Motan's family and these organizations are calling for his immediate release and dropping of all charges against him. 

“Abdallah Motan’s detention highlights the urgent need for action to protect Palestinian artists and cultural workers,” said Julie Trébault, Executive Director of ARC.

“The targeting of artists and cultural professionals through Israel’s mass arrest policy not only silences individual voices but also undermines Palestinians' right to participate in and engage freely with cultural life—constituting a clear violation of international human rights law. We call on the Israeli authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Abdallah and the hundreds of artists, journalists, and writers who are unjustly targeted throughout the occupied Palestinian Territories.”

ARC has also recently addressed the arbitrary arrest of dancer and cultural activist Shaden Al Qous in East Jerusalem, as well as the tragic death of painter Fathi Ghaben, who was denied the right to travel outside Gaza for urgent medical treatment by Israeli authorities.

Motan is currently one of at least 43 film workers and journalists imprisoned by Israeli authorities in an effort to suppress coverage of the conflict in Gaza, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). 

This recent wave of arrests in the West Bank has occurred during a newly implemented ceasefire, which has temporarily halted Israel's military actions in Gaza and facilitated the exchange of Palestinian and Israeli captives.

The Committee to Protect Journalists has condemned the Israeli authorities' actions and called for Motan's release.

The detention of the award-winning filmmaker is viewed as an assault on freedom of expression and an attempt to silence voices that aim to expose the practices of the occupation to the international community. 

The Tehran Times Newspaper also condemns Motan’s detention, calling for his immediate release, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding artists’ rights and freedoms in the region.

SAB/