Israeli reporter detained in alleged Iran contact case freed as investigation continues

An independent journalist suspected of communicating with Iranian operatives was released from detainment on Monday after being held by the Shin Bet and Jerusalem Police for two weeks.

Police officers requested The Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court extend the journalist’s detention by eight days as part of an ongoing investigation into his alleged contacts with a “foreign agent” linked to Iran. The request was granted but overturned a day later by a district court.

During the initial investigation, the journalist denied knowingly engaging with Iranian agents and described the exchanges as falling within the scope of his professional work. He stated that he regularly receives inquiries from various sources but hasn’t done anything to threaten national security.

The journalist was arrested by the Shin Bet and Jerusalem Police after he contacted the police’s cyber division about suspicious activities from “unidentified individuals”.

According to i24NEWS, the journalist said he was initially contacted via Telegram about a year and a half ago and was asked to take photographs of certain locations, a request he refused. Six months later, he received similar requests, which he reported to the Cyber Authority. According to the journalist, no action was taken, and further requests followed, one involving a request to take pictures of a Haredi anti-draft protest in exchange for money. “In order to understand what was being asked, I did a few things that were not prohibited,” he explained. Another request was for him to photograph a street location, which he refused to do.

The journalist’s lawyer strongly rejected the allegations, describing him as “a law-abiding, upstanding, and patriotic citizen” who “would never have considered any action against the country’s security.” He welcomed the court’s decision to release the reporter, saying it ended a process that was disproportionate to the facts, according to i24 News.

No formal charges have been filed against the journalist who has been released under restrictive conditions, and the investigation is ongoing.