The Turkish Relief Foundation demanded Israel to unconditionally release its representative in the West Bank, Mohammad Shahin, who was kidnapped on Wednesday April 27.Head of the Foundation, Bülent Yıldırım, stated during a press conference in Istanbul attending by several civil society institution and the wife of Shahin, called for the unconditional release of Shahin who will appear in court Thursday.
Shahin arrived recently in the West Bank, opened the representative office of the foundation and registered for Hebrew courses at the Hebrew University.
He was kidnapped at a roadblock near Bethlehem and was moved to Petah Tikva detention and interrogation facility.
The army also broke into his home and searched it before confiscating his personal laptop and several files.
His wife said she is concerned for the life of her husband who has been under interrogation since one week, and demanded his release.
Bülent Yıldırım stated that it is likely that Shahin was arrested for the Foundations’ activities in organizing popular and aide campaign to break the siege on Gaza, and added that such arrests and violations will not stop the foundation especially its upcoming humanitarian trip to the Gaza Strip in the middle of this month.
He added that should Israel keep Shahin behind bars, it would expose all of Israel’s illegal activities in Turkey.
Bülent Yıldırımsaid that the Foundation attempted to send three lawyers to represent Shahin but the Israeli embassy did not respond.
Israel claims that Shahin endangers its security and that he has connections with “terrorist organizations”.
