Hamas releases British journalist detained in Gaza
Documentary-maker Paul Martin to be freed after four weeks in jail on suspicion of spying for Israel.
By News Agencies Tags: Hamas Israel news GazaHamas on Thursday freed a British journalist arrested in the Gaza Strip last month and held for nearly four weeks on suspicion of spying for Israel.
Paul Martin was detained on February 14 while on a visit to Hamas-run Gaza to give evidence in a court case involving a local man accused of working with the Israeli security services.
Martin's lawyer, Sharhabeel al-Zaeem, said earlier Thursday he expected the journalist to be handed over to British and South African consular officials, who would escort him out of Gaza into Israel.
London-based Martin, who is in his 50s, has reported frequently from Gaza, providing freelance reports for television and newspapers. British officials have said throughout his detention that they were providing consular support. They have made little other public comment on the case.
Human rights groups have criticised both Hamas Islamists and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's Palestinian Authority, which rules in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, for detaining journalists and placing other curbs on media freedoms.
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It must have been so. He has lots of influence in Gagaland and he is just such a champion of humanitarian causes, especially when it involves his fellow Brits. It was just done so quietly in his usual modest manner and he never would have wanted any attention for doing something so selfless. I'm sure it was him or one of his unimpeachable and principled crowd. I'm so sure.