On March 25, the documentary community and Palestinian solidarity advocates celebrated the release of Oscar-winning filmmaker Hamdan Ballal from Israeli detention. Ballal was violently assaulted by settlers in the Occupied West Bank and arrested under dubious charges. His co-director Basel Adra hinted the attack might be retaliation for their recent film, No Other Land. Amid international outcry, including condemnation from the International Documentary Association, Ballal was freed but still required medical attention. The incident underscores the continuing threats to free speech and artistic expression in Palestine.
For hours, no one seemed to know where Hamdan had been taken. It was later revealed he was held in a police station in the Jewish-only settlement of Kiryat Arba.
This might be their revenge on us for making the movie. It feels like punishment, said Basel Adra. This remains an ugly attack on free speech and expression.
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