A British activist who was reportedly kidnapped by Israeli settlers and assaulted in the West Bank will be deported on August 31.
Finn Joughin was moved into police custody following the ordeal in the southern West Bank village of Umm al-Khair over the weekend.
The 22-year-old was engaging in protective presence, a tactic used to deter Israeli settler violence against Palestinians, his lawyer, Inbar Shaked Vardi said.
Mr Joughin’s lawyer said that children from Israeli settler families had entered the village’s sports centre and attempted to break down fences built to protect Palestinians from attacks.
‘Finn only stood there holding on to the fence in an attempt to stop the break-in, at that point settlers began yelling at him accusations in Hebrew that he did not understand,’ Ms Vardi said.
‘Settlers started accusing him of sexually harassing one of the children which is not something that happened,’ she said, before armed settlers took Mr Joughin to the Carmel settlement by force.
Ms Vardi continued: ‘He was put in a headlock and his hands were tied behind his back and he was forced to sit on the floor in the shed for 30 minutes while settlers filmed humiliating videos that they later posted.’
The lawyer added that the kidnapping was ‘a violation of both his right to privacy and his right to a good name.’
Finn Joughin was taken into custody by Israeli settlers on Saturday in the village of Umm al-Kheir in the West Bank
The 22-year-old British activist pictured wearing a brown t-shirt and shorts sitting on the floor
Israeli police were then called to the settlement where Mr Joughin was arrested before officers ‘interrogated him under the sole suspicion of assault.’
While awaiting a hearing at Jerusalem Magistrates’ Court on August 30, police said that Mr Joughin would be moved to Israel’s immigration authority and then to Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv.
Israeli authorities decided to deport the Briton after a pre-deportation hearing on the same day, Ms Vardi said.
Mr Joughin’s flight back to the UK was scheduled for around midday GMT on August 31.
In a statement, Israeli police said officers arrested a ‘foreign national who disturbed public order’ near the Carmel settlement.
‘A complaint was also filed against him on suspicion of assaulting a minor and other suspected offences,’ it added.
‘After sufficient evidentiary basis was established regarding his actions, the investigation materials were transferred last night to the Population and Immigration Authority for a hearing and a decision regarding his removal from Israel.’
