The advocacy group for artists who are at risk said it is appalled by the treatment of poet Hanan Awwad who was detained by Israeli soldiers in occupied East Jerusalem, Al Jazeera reports.

The worldwide association of writers, PEN International, said that Awwad – who is the president of PEN Palestine – was detained by soldiers at the Hizma checkpoint in East Jerusalem last Thursday who searched and physically assaulted her at gunpoint and shouted “terrorist”.

“Soldiers kicked and struck Awwad repeatedly and detained her for four hours, during which they interrogated her about the content of her writings,” PEN said in a statement.