A journalist employed by the NBC was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of inciting terrorism and identifying with a terrorist organization. Marwat Al-Azza, a 45-year-old journalist, employed by NBC and living in east Jerusalem, was arrested on suspicion of inciting terrorism and identifying with a terrorist organization. This was after four posts on her personal Facebook in recent times concerning the terror attack by Hamas from the Gaza Strip. The police claim that Al-Azza “arrived ready for arrest”, without a mobile phone, and even wrote phone numbers on her leg. In her investigation, she admitted to what was attributed to her. The police representative concluded at yesterday’s hearing at the Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court “These are very serious offenses during a time of declared war when the respondent lives and makes a living in the same country that is under attack and yet chooses to incite and glorify the horrible acts committed against civilians.” Al-Azza’s defense attorney claimed “This is a normative woman, engaged in journalism and her role is very important to everyone. She was asked in her investigation about her work. I believe that in the things attributed to her, she cooperated fully. She did not try to hide and said ‘I had a hacker’. Even when she did not have a phone, which is the main tool, she said, ‘Indeed, these are my posts,’ and this eliminates a thousand disruptive actions. There is her statement. That is why I believe that the investigation has exhausted itself. I ask that she be released under whatever conditions the court deems appropriate. She is from a very respectable family.” At the end of the hearing, her detention was extended. Last month, the police requested permission from the prosecutor’s office to interrogate the journalist, and permission was granted last week. The journalist was arrested on Friday by a station of the Jerusalem district police, and her detention was extended by four days at the High Court.
