Ofer - Minors, Terror Attacks
Translation: Marganit W.
Courtroom 2
Sessions at the Juvenile Court start at 10 AM. This court has been operating for several months now on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. In charge of this court is justice Sharon Rivlin-Ahai, but today the presiding judge is Atzmon.
The trial is conducted in camera
: only the minor's parents are allowed in court. We had to leave.
The minors brought before the judge in this special court have sometimes been in detention for weeks, incarcerated under regular conditions. They are brought here for remand extension during the entire period of their interrogations. Only when the indictment is ready is the hearing transferred to the Juvenile Court. The arrest and the interrogation of these youths are conducted under the regular conditions that apply to Palestinians in the Occupied Territories.
A week ago we observed and reported the case of two brothers brought for remand extension without an attorney. (See report of 12.1.10) A week later, at the Juvenile Court, the judge ordered a remand until the conclusion of the proceedings. The two boys admitted to throwing rocks at a military jeep.
Courtroom 3
A panel of 3 judges: Sgt.-Major (Res) Itzik Mina - presiding, Lieut.-Colonel Zvi Lekah and Lieut. -Colonel Nathaniel Benishu
The defendant collaborated in two suicide bombings in the Jerusalem area, two months apart. 19 people were killed in the attacks. In both cases the defendant supplied the acetone used in the making of the explosive.
An earlier court took into consideration the young age (17) of the accused at the time. He was influenced by an older friend who recruited him.
The prosecution calls for a life sentence, citing precedents where minority did not shield a defendant from a life sentence.
The defense states that the defendant had repented the deed and stresses the importance of rehabilitation in penalties given to minors. The defense asks the court to consider his client's intent to change his ways.
Decision will be handed down in 7 days.