INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
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
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
international human rights law
We call on the Israeli authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Abdallah and the hundreds of artists, journalists, and writers
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
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
