An Israeli-American says he endured nearly a month of abuse inside a prison in Turkish-controlled Cyprus after being wrongly arrested while transporting medical equipment for work.

Yisrael Meir Gutgold, 24, who lives in the United States, was detained at the airport after authorities allegedly suspected he was smuggling sensitive medical supplies. Gutgold said he immediately presented official documentation proving the equipment was legal and work-related, but was arrested anyway.

According to Gutgold, conditions in prison were harsh, with 14 inmates packed into a single cell. He said he was housed alongside Iranian and Syrian prisoners, who threatened him because he was Israeli.

“They told me, ‘You’re Israeli—you’ll be here for a long time,'” Gutgold recalled, adding that he feared for his life and spent sleepless nights praying for his release.

He also alleged that one prison guard repeatedly punched, kicked, cursed, and spat at him because he was Israeli.

After prison officials determined he was at risk from other inmates, Gutgold said he was placed in solitary confinement for 11 days. By the end of his ordeal, he had reportedly lost 15 kilograms (33 pounds).

His family enlisted the help of a local attorney, Mert Ugur, who successfully proved that Gutgold had been transporting the medical equipment legally and in accordance with international regulations. Chabad emissary Rabbi Chaim Azimov also assisted the family throughout the ordeal.

Following weeks of legal efforts and tefillos by family and friends—including a gathering at the Kosel before his final court hearing—Gutgold was released.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)