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Palestinian media sources in Bethlehem city in the southern part of the West Bank reported that a Palestinian journalist was kidnapped by unknown gunmen on Saturday night. He was released on Sunday afternoon. Hafeth Asakra, a journalist working at the Palestinian News Agency Maan News, was kidnapped while on his way to work. In a phone call with IMEMC Asakra said that unknown gunmen driving a jeep stopped him on Bethlehem's Main Street. After asking him for directions to the city center, he was forced to get into the jeep and was blinfolded. Asakra was then taken to an old building were he was interrogated for 12 hours, he said that the gunmen wanted him to publish false information about Palestinian politicians in return for money. During the interrogation the gunmen beat him and threatened to kill him several times. According to Asakra, the Palestinian police initiated a massive campaign on Sunday looking for him, while the Palestinian Journalist association did not even call him. Several weeks ago the Palestinian security forces affiliated with the Fatah movement arrested a board member of Maan News for airing Hamas leader speech. He was released several days later after the security forces failed to present a case. |