Australian writer deported by US over pro-Palestine blog posts: Report
LOS ANGELES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, UNITED STATES, JUN 15 – Alistair Kitchen was detained 12 hours and deported after U.S. officials linked his pro-Palestinian writings to his travel authorization, raising concerns over free speech and surveillance.
- Australian writer Alistair Kitchen was detained for 12 hours at Los Angeles Airport on June 12, then denied entry and deported back to Melbourne due to his writings on pro-Palestinian protests.
- Kitchen was pulled aside for secondary screening related to his reporting from Columbia University protests and was extensively questioned about his views on the Israel-Palestine conflict.
- He complied with border agents under stress, surrendered his phone and passport, which were only returned to him sealed on arrival in Australia, while DFAT provided consular assistance during the ordeal.
- Kitchen described the experience as one of the hardest in his life, including a 15-hour flight to the US, 12-hour detention, and 15-hour return flight, and said officials stated he was detained because of what he wrote online.
- The Committee to Protect Journalists criticized the deportation as a retaliatory act connected to Kitchen’s reporting, cautioning that it creates a troubling precedent that may intimidate journalists and restrict their freedom to report and travel within the United States.
27 Articles
27 Articles
I Was Detained, Deported from U.S. Airport for Reporting on Gaza Campus Protests: Australian Writer
A Columbia University graduate has been denied entry into the United States and deported following 12 hours of detention at the Los Angeles International Airport. Australian writer Alistair Kitchen says agents questioned him about his views on Israel and Palestine and downloaded the contents of his phone. “They were waiting for me when I got off the plane. I didn’t even make it into the queue for passport processing,” says Kitchen. “Customs and B
How My Reporting on the Columbia Protests Led to My Deportation
Alistair Kitchen on being detained at Los Angeles International Airport and sent back to Australia because of his reporting on the protests at Columbia University criticizing Israel’s actions in Gaza.
Journalist Who Decried Trump's 'Deportation of Dissent' Says He Was Deported for Dissent
"Alistair Kitchen's deportation is a clear case of retaliation in connection with his reporting, and such action sends a chilling message to journalists," said one press freedom defender.
Australian Writer Deported from US Says He Was 'Targeted' for Writing About Pro-Palestinian Student Protests - Quds News Network
An Australian writer said he was detained upon arrival at Los Angeles airport and deported back to Melbourne due to his writing about pro-Palestinian student protests on university campuses.
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