Conditional Release: Arrest of Muhammad Baraka and Provocative Political Investigation Regarding a Speech from Years Ago

SadaNews - The Israeli occupation police arrested the former chairman of the Higher Follow-Up Committee for Arab Citizens, Muhammad Baraka, yesterday, Tuesday, and conducted an investigation that lasted several hours, under the pretext of the content of a speech he delivered in the last month of 2022, in the city of Ramallah.

This was according to a statement issued by the committee this evening, indicating that "the police arrested Baraka and conducted a provocative political investigation with him at the Israeli occupation police station in the settlement of 'Ariel', despite his refusal to the location of the investigation, and the court released him with imposed restrictions".

The Higher Follow-Up Committee confirmed that Baraka's arrest is "an additional dangerous link in the series of political prosecutions, in an attempt to intimidate our Arab citizens and deter them from their political activity and legitimate struggle against the policies of occupation, racism, and political repression".

It added that "this arrest and provocative investigation against Baraka, alongside the personal targeting he has endured for years, also targets our Arab citizens and the Follow-Up Committee, which is facing intensified incitement from the current and previous ruling circles to silence our citizens' legitimate political voice and deprive them of their right to struggle for their national, collective, and daily rights".

According to the statement, "the police arrested Muhammad Baraka, a member of the leadership of the Democratic Front for Peace and Equality, this Tuesday morning... for the purpose of conducting a provocative political investigation with him, regarding a speech he delivered in 2022, confirming that the intent is a racist political pursuit, and the court imposed restrictions on Baraka with its decision to release him".

The Follow-Up Committee noted that "the occupation police in the settlement of Ariel had contacted Baraka several days ago, summoning him for interrogation via phone, which Baraka refused, and the 'Adalah' legal center was appointed to follow up his case, yet the police refused to officially respond to 'Adalah's' inquiry regarding the investigation's location, and made a second call to Baraka to summon him for interrogation, which Baraka again refused".

According to the statement, "A police officer, equipped with a court order to impose interrogation at the police center in the settlement of Ariel, arrived at Baraka's home in Shfaram this Tuesday morning. The investigation lasted for four hours, under the pretext of the content of his speech in the last month of 2022, in the city of Ramallah. In an act of provocation, Baraka was compelled to fingerprint all ten of his fingers, and photos of his face were taken. The investigators then decided to present Baraka to the Magistrate's Court in Petah Tikva to impose a series of restrictions on his release, including prohibition from leaving the country until the end of October, surrendering his passport, and not entering the occupied West Bank for 90 days, which Baraka refused through his lawyer, Khaled Zabarqa, appointed by the 'Adalah' center to defend him".

The statement mentioned that the court "decided to reject the police's request regarding travel abroad, but it maintained his prohibition from entering the West Bank for 30 days, along with a series of financial guarantees. The police then decided to confiscate Baraka's two mobile phones, claiming to complete the investigation".

The 'Adalah' center is considering filing an appeal regarding the conditions of Baraka's release and the confiscation of his two phones.

'Adalah' indicated that "members of Knesset from the settler right, who see in the unrestrained settler gangs their representatives in the Knesset and the government, have requested in the last three years to ban the Higher Follow-Up Committee, with a specific focus on the chair at the time, leader Muhammad Baraka. Several sessions were held in the National Security Committee in the Knesset in 2023, and then in 2025, and two months ago, confirming that this forensic summons behind it are settler entities within the ruling apparatus".

The Communist Party and the Front: Intimidation of National Leaders and Criminalization of Political Stance

For his part, the "Communist Party and the Democratic Front for Peace and Equality strongly condemned the provocative police-intelligence arrest and interrogation of the national communist leader Muhammad Baraka, the former chairman of the Higher Follow-Up Committee and a member of the front's leadership. They see in this political persecution a new chapter in the fascist chase led by the settlers' government against our Arab masses and their leaderships and representational institutions, as well as their legitimate political speech".

A statement issued by them noted that "the summons of comrade Baraka for interrogation and his subsequent arrest and transfer to questioning over a political speech he delivered in 2022 in Ramallah clearly reveals that the goal is to intimidate national leaders and criminalize the political stance, undermining freedom of expression, organization, and popular action. This persecution is inseparable from the ongoing incitement from the settler right against the Higher Follow-Up Committee and against the leadership of our Arab citizens, led by comrade Muhammad Baraka".

The statement further added that "members of Knesset from the settler right, who see in the unrestrained settler gangs their representatives in the Knesset and the government, have requested in the last three years to ban the Higher Follow-Up Committee, with a specific focus on comrade Baraka as the head of the committee at the time. Several sessions were held in the National Security Committee in the Knesset in 2023, then in 2025, and two months ago, confirming that this interrogation summons is backed by settler groups in the ruling apparatus".

The statement emphasized that "what is happening is a fascist attempt to tighten the noose around our Arab population in the country and its representative institutions, mainly the Higher Follow-Up Committee, with the aim of silencing the democratic national voice opposing the occupation and settlement and racism; the settlers' government resorts to police, intelligence, and court tools to settle scores with anyone who raises their voice against its policies".

It noted that "the party and the front see that this persecution comes as part of a broader trend to criminalize Arab political work, pursue national leaders, and attempt to delegitimize our citizens' speech against occupation, war, discrimination, and repression".

The Communist Party and the front stated: "We affirm that this policy will not break the will of our masses, nor intimidate its leaders, nor detract from the status of the Higher Follow-Up Committee or the legitimacy of our political and popular struggle. Instead, it will increase our determination to confront fascism and racism, defend the rights of our Arab masses, freedom of political work, and our people's right to freedom and justice".

The statement added: "The Communist Party and the front salute comrade Baraka for his steadfast stance, affirming full solidarity alongside him in facing this political pursuit. They also call upon democratic forces, both Arab and Jewish, and human rights institutions, to mobilize politically, popularly, and legally to repel this dangerous assault and defend political freedoms and our citizens' rights to organize, express, and represent themselves".

The Gathering: Continuous Pursuit and Pressure on Arab Political Leaders and National Political Work

For its part, the National Democratic Gathering condemned the "arrest of comrade and leader Muhammad Baraka, and the provocative political interrogation he faced today, as part of the campaign of pursuit and constant pressure on Arab political leaders and national political work".

It noted that "the summons of Baraka and the interrogation concerning a political speech he delivered years ago, along with imposing restrictions on him and confiscating his personal devices, confirms that this is not about a regular legal procedure, but rather a clear attempt to intimidate our Arab citizens and their representatives, targeting the national stances of leader Muhammad Baraka, which he has consistently proven".

The Gathering emphasized that "targeting brother Muhammad Baraka is targeting the Arab masses and their right to organize and political action, and democratic struggle. These policies will not succeed in silencing our people's voice or deterring it from continuing to defend its national and civil rights in the face of the policies of occupation, racism, and the increasing incitement from the fascist right in Israel".

Source: Arabs 48