Ofer - Appeal, Detention until conclusion of proceedings

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Observers: 
Vivi Sury, Nitza Aminov (reporting)
Oct-9-2016
|
Morning

Translation: Marganit W.

 

Freedom of Speech or Incitement?

We attended a remand extension hearing of two radio announcers of Sanabal Radio from Dura.

Both were represented by Atty. Sha’ban. 

The judge was Lieut. Col. Shlomo Katz.

 

Atty. Sha’ban pointed out that the defendants work at a radio station licensed by Israel and the PA. Both are accredited journalists; they present news and songs. The attorney explained the difference between certain usages in Hebrew and Arabic. For example, “Allahu Akbar” is seen in Israel as a call to arms, and the term “shaheed” instills horror in Israelis’ hearts.

Three days earlier, on Thursday, the same judge presided on a hearing of three other employees of a radio station. The judge released them on bail, but the prosecution plans to appeal the decision.

In reply to a question, the prosecutor said, “It’s not the text of the programs, it is what they do all the time – it is the nature of this radio.” We were not sure exactly what he meant, but the general drift was: it would be best if the radio station did not exist. All Palestinians who dare speak up or post on Facebook are inciters.

 

The judge said there was indeed some measure of incitements, but the level of activity did not justify detention until the conclusion of the proceedings. He said that freedom of speech was one of his considerations.

Decision: release on 4000-shekel bail, plus third-party guarantee of 10,000 shekels.

He also ordered a 48-hour delay to allow the prosecution to decide on an appeal.

The next hearing was set for 23.11.16.

 

Judge: Lieut. Col. Menahem Lieberman

Defense: Atty. Shafan.

Defendant: Hanadi Mahmoud Muhammad Rashed – ID 854537826

 

We wrote earlier about Hanadi, 22 years old mother of 2 young kids. She ran to a checkpoint with a knife because of an abusive husband.

Her father and sister attended the hearing. The father again voiced his sense of guilt because Hanadi tried to divorce her husband but the family objected. “What can I do? That son of a bitch husband of hers is my nephew.”

This is another example of one of the ills that plague Palestinian society: marriages among members of the same family and the sway the family has on a woman’s life. Now the parents have to raise the kids because Hanadi is in jail.

Next hearing: 7.12.16.

We attended some hearings of minors. We cannot report on them, but we had long conversations with the families, among them families of two underage girls in Sharon Prison.

As always, we encountered families with more than one member in jail. They reported leaving home at dawn to get to the court, even though they don’t expect any progress, only postponement and a new court date. But at least they can see their loved ones for a few minutes.