Jerusalemite journalist Bayan al-Jo'beh sentenced to 20 months in prison after more than a year of house arrest
Today, an Israeli magistrate's court sentenced the Jerusalemite journalist Bayan al-Jo’beh to 20 months in prison (one year and eight months), along with a six-month suspended sentence for three years and a fine of 5,000 shekels.
The court ordered her prison sentence to start on September 6, 2026, following her conviction for "incitement and support for a terrorist organization" related to her social media posts.
Israeli occupation forces detained al-Jo’beh on February 28, 2025, inside the Al-Aqsa Mosque while she was there with her husband, journalist Mohammad al-Sadiq, and their two daughters, on the eve of Ramadan, as they observed the sighting of the new moon.
After hours of questioning, she was released due to her health, as she was in her final month of what was classified as a high-risk pregnancy. Her release was conditioned on house arrest and a ban on social media use.
On March 20, 2025, an indictment was filed against her, accusing her of incitement on social media, supporting, and having ties with a terrorist organization. The charges were based on posts that the prosecution described as incriminating, which she published on Facebook and Instagram between 2021 and 2024, including personal photos of her inside the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Bayan al-Jo’beh, mother of Ghada (7), Bissan (4), and Yazan (1), has faced a prolonged legal ordeal lasting months. She gave birth to her youngest during over a year and three months of house arrest, during which she endured strict restrictions such as confinement to her home, a ban on social media, and regular court appearances.
Over the past few months, her case involved around 13 court sessions that included presenting, reading, and amending the indictment, hearing witnesses, and referring her to a probation officer, culminating in the court's final verdict today.
Al-Jo’beh’s lawyer is expected to appeal the decision in the near future.
The verdict against journalist Bayan al-Jo’beh follows over a year of house arrest and court proceedings. During this time, she balanced the stresses of her legal situation with her duties as a mother, welcoming her third child and raising him during his first year under the imposed restrictions.
