RAMALLAH, March 28, 2012 (WAFA) – A Palestinian court Wednesday extended the arrest of journalist Yousef al-Shayeb for 15 days pending investigation of charges of slander and defamation against the Palestinian diplomatic mission in France and the foreign minister.

Shayeb, who was arrested on Monday and detained for 48 hours by orders from the attorney general, announced during the remand hearing that he will go on hunger strike to protest his arrest, which he considered an infringement on press freedom.

The Palestinian ambassador to France and his deputy and Foreign Minister Riyad Malki filed a complaint of slander and deformation against Shayeb after he published a story in the Jordanian newspaper, Al-Ghad, in January accusing the ambassador of corruption and the foreign minister of covering up for him.

Shayeb, who also writes for the Palestinian daily al-Ayyam, was held for several hours the day after his story was published.

Dozens of Palestinian journalists gathered outside the Courthouse and the Foreign Ministry on Wednesday in Ramallah to protest Shayeb’s arrest.

R.Q./M.S.