Swiss authorities detained Abunimah on Saturday, January 25, 2025, sparking protests and raising concerns over
the suppression of pro-Palestinian voices in the region.
The Palestine Chronicle spoke with reliable sources in Zürich to confirm the details of the incident.
Educational Visit
The Palestine Teach-in Group, recently rebranded as Watermelon University, had invited Abunimah to speak at its
eighth teach-in event on January 25, following seven prior sessions aimed at educating the public on Palestinian
history, rights, and political futures.
According to the sources, who spoke to the Palestine Chronicle on condition of anonymity, the group had secured a
venue, which canceled the rental agreement on the morning of the event, allegedly under pressure from high-level
members of its board.
With the event relocated to an outdoor venue, police intercepted Abunimah and an accompanying organizer en route.
The sources told The Palestine Chronicle that “two plainclothes policemen, who refused to show their police IDs,
roughly arrested Ali, dragging him across a street and putting him into an unmarked car.”
The accompanying organizer was reportedly prevented from assisting.
Abunimah was taken into custody at the instigation of Mario Fehr, Justice Director of Canton Zürich, that the Swiss
Federal
Police “issued a ban on Ali’s entry into or stay in the entire country
of Switzerland because he endangered Switzerland’s internal security,”
the sources said.
Despite entering Switzerland legally on Friday, January 24, without prior restrictions, Abunimah – who holds only
United States citizenship and travels on a US passport – now faces deportation.
“At the time of Ali’s entry at Zürich airport on Friday afternoon, there was no entry ban and he entered entirely
legally after one hour of questioning by the police,” the sources explained.
The deportation is now scheduled for Monday, January 27, due to administrative delays over the weekend.
“This entails his spending Saturday and Sunday nights in jail with no contact with the outside world except with his
lawyer,” said the sources.
“About 50 supporters gathered outside the jail building and waited three hours for his lawyer to emerge and tell us
what the situation was,” the sources further explained.
Abunimah remains in custody, with no contact beyond his lawyer, until his deportation.