PressTV, an Iranian state-run media outlet, has claimed that one of its journalists, Naqqa Hamed, was arrested by Israeli forces near Bethlehem in the West Bank on Tuesday.
An IDF source confirmed the arrest of a PressTV journalist to The Jerusalem Post on Wednesday.
According to Iran’s state-run English-language news site, PressTV, Palestinian-American correspondent Hamed and a camera crew were stopped at a local checkpoint by Israeli forces, who allegedly searched them before arresting Hamed.
According to the allegations, Hamed’s cameraman was released, while she remained in custody.
Hamed was transferred to Israeli police forces, and not to the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency), despite Iranian allegations that Shin Bet had her in detention; the IDF source confirmed to the Post.
PressTV claims Hamed targeted in online 'smear campaign'
PressTV claimed that Hamed’s arrest came after she had been subjected to an online “smear campaign,” during which she was repeatedly probed on how she could continue working for the Iranian outlet while living in Area B of the West Bank, without being arrested.
They accused those who questioned Hamed online of attempting to “exert psychological and media pressure” in order to obstruct PressTV’s reporting.
PressTV also claimed that Hamed had previously clashed with Israeli forces while reporting in Kalandiya.