Israel’s Shin Bet has held Russian-Israeli historian Artem Kirpichenok for more than a month without disclosing why. His family says the case may involve espionage.
Historian and writer Artem Kirpichenok flew to Tel Aviv on August 2 to attend an international conference, his support group said. Officers from Israel’s General Security Service (Shin Bet) detained him at the airport. Kirpichenok, a citizen of both Russia and Israel, has remained in custody ever since. Officials have not disclosed the reason for his detention.
Historian Artem Kirpichenok has been detained by Israel's Shin Bet, the country's internal security agency, for over a month without any official explanation. Kirpichenok, a Russian-Israeli citizen, was detained at the Tel Aviv airport on August 2 while attending an international conference in Israel. His family claims that his case may be related to espionage, as Russian authorities suspect him of contacting a foreign intelligence agent.
However, no evidence beyond "unofficial information" has been disclosed by Israeli authorities. Kirpichenok, a 51-year-old researcher and journalist specializing in the Middle East and Central Asia, has written extensively about the region and has had a complex relationship with Israeli politics. He has previously criticized Israeli policies in Gaza and toward Palestinians, as well as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Kirpichenok's detention in Israel has raised questions about his rights and the nature of the charges against him, as Israeli law allows for up to life imprisonment in espionage cases.
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