The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has apologized following criticism for its failure to support detained Palestinian Oscar winner Hamdan Ballal.
Nearly 700 voting members, including several A-listers, signed an open letter rebuking the body.
It comes after Ballal, who directed the documentary "No Other Land" and won an Academy Award earlier this year, said he was detained by the Israeli military and later released.
The academy’s initial response on Wednesday did not mention Ballal by name but has since issued an apology, according to the BBC.
"We sincerely apologize to Mr. Ballal and all artists who felt unsupported by our previous statement and want to make it clear that the Academy condemns violence of this kind anywhere in the world,” the statement read.
"We abhor the suppression of free speech under any circumstances.”
An open letter signed by actors, producers and documentary filmmakers criticized the initial statement.
"It is indefensible for an organisation to recognize a film with an award in the first week of March, and then fail to defend its filmmakers just a few weeks later,” it read.
It also condemned the "brutal assault and unlawful detention” of the Oscar winner.
"The targeting of Ballal is not just an attack on one filmmaker – it is an attack on all those who dare to bear witness and tell inconvenient truths,” it read.
"We will continue to watch over this film team. Winning an Oscar has put their lives in increasing danger, and we will not mince words when the safety of fellow artists is at stake.”
High-profile actors who signed the letter included Mark Ruffalo, Olivia Colman, Emma Thompson, Richard Gere, Susan Sarandon, Joaquin Phoenix and Penelope Cruz.
Israeli settlers beat up Ballal in the occupied West Bank before he was detained by the Israeli military, according to two of his fellow directors and other witnesses.
Co-director Basel Adra said he had witnessed the detention and saw the soldiers lead Ballal, handcuffed and blindfolded, from his home into a military vehicle.
He said settlers entered the village on Monday evening shortly after residents broke the daily fast for Islam's holy month of Ramadan.
Ballal was one of three Palestinians detained in the village of Susiya, according to lawyer Lea Tsemel, who is representing them.
The Israeli military said it detained three Palestinians suspected of hurling rocks at forces and one Israeli civilian involved in a "violent confrontation” between Israelis and Palestinians – a claim witnesses interviewed by The Associated Press (AP) disputed.
