(Photo: Hosam Naoum/Facebook)
An Anglican Palestinian woman has returned home after spending eight months imprisoned in Israel without formal charges, sparking a wave of relief and celebration among the Christian community.
Layan Nasir, affiliated with St Peter’s Anglican Church in Birzeit, West Bank, faced her initial arrest in 2021. Accused of associating with the Democratic Progressive Student Pole (DPSP), a group outlawed by Israel, she was detained for two months before being released on bail. Her case remained unresolved, hovering in legal uncertainty.
Nasir’s troubles resurfaced in April 2024 when she was detained again under administrative detention, alleged to pose a security threat, though charges were never filed. In 2025, she found herself imprisoned once more for reasons that remain unclear. After another eight months, she was finally released.
Archbishop Hosam Naoum, Primate of the Anglican Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East, shared the news on Facebook, calling it “joyful news.”
The Very Rev. Richard Sewell, Dean of St George’s College in Jerusalem, provided insights into Nasir’s ordeal, reporting that she described prison conditions as “a cemetery for the living” and expressed concern for those still incarcerated. Sewell remarked, “There were blaring car horns along with singing and chanting, creating a joyful atmosphere. She looked so thin, having suffered greatly in prison, but Layan’s smile was infectious and everyone experienced an explosion of joy and relief.”
The lack of legal proceedings against Nasir has drawn criticism from Anglican leaders, who have condemned her detention as devoid of “any legal or moral justification.”
This article was originally written by www.christiantoday.com
