Russian Compound, Jerusalem - Remand Extension, Students

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Observers: 
Roni Hammermann, Tova Szeintuch (reporting)
Feb-21-2011
|
Morning

Translation: Diana Rubanenko

Russian Compound

 

Judge: Lior Kahana

Police investigator: Bashir ...? (he refused to give his surname)

 Defence attorneys: Fahmi Shkirat, Firas Sabbah, Maamoun Hashim

 

There are 7 cases in the docket. One is the case of a person barred from meeting with an attorney, and in four cases agreement has been reached between the parties.

 

Yussuf Hassan Ismail Issa, ID 939641924

Arrested on 31.1.11

Defence: Firas Sabbah

 Three of the detainee's relatives are brought to court for remand extension (the father Omar, the son Abdullah, and the uncle Yussuf)

They are accused of contacts with the enemy.

The parties have agreed to extend remand by another two days, and to the transfer of the case to the prosecution.

 

Ali Kassem Ismail Kabaja, I.D. 852729193

Defence: Atty. Firas Sabbah on behalf of Atty. Maamoun Hashim

 Agreement has been reached between the parties for extension of remand by 7 days, and the transfer of the case to the prosecution.

The detainee is suspected of membership in Hamas. He is a student.

 An hour later a sheet of paper from theGSS was given to the judge.

The suspect was brought back from his cell.

The judge read the appeal by the GSS about the agreement, and their request for a further 12 days investigation.

The judge explains that this is not acceptable procedure. "The ink has not dried yet on the decision for agreement“ wrote the judge, "yet the GSS is already making another request. This does not accord with appropriate procedure".

 The judge recommends to the GSS that they make efforts in the time given them to continue the investigation, and if it is still not sufficient, they may file a repeat application, showing grounds.

 

Az'adine Abdal-Aziz Hassin Hamiadat, I.D. 913978359

 The suspect has been barred from meeting an attorney since 28.1.11, the day of his arrest. He is a resident of Kfar Surif.

He is suspected of activity against the security in the region.

 Judge Kahana does not agree with our being present in court during all stages of the hearing; that is, he goes along with our presence when the defence tries to question and understand the charges and the status of his client’s investigation. But when the detainee is brought in, he requires us and the defence attorney to leave the courtroom. He reads the preliminary injunction of the High Court that we give him, recommending to allow us to remain at all stages of the proceedings - for the sake of public hearing - but he says he doesn't agree with the recommendation, and that we are obliged to leave. We ask for our request to be recorded in the minutes.

 The police asks for additional 18 days of investigation. If the judge agrees to this request, the detainee will have been prevented from meeting an attorney for over 40 days. (We and the defence attorneys leave the courtroom, and the judge asks for time to consider his decision - so we don't know if he agreed to the request of the police or not).

The discussion between the defence and the police investigator is completely pointless. The investigator keeps referring the attorney to the confidential report, instead of answering his questions. Nothing could be learned about the status of the investigation or its content.

All we heard was that the suspect had given a police statement.

 

Abdullah Omar Hassan Issa, I.D. 853816312

 

This is the young man from the Issa family, that we mentioned above. The police requests another 8 days of remand for the investigation.

 The judge reads the file, and keeps repeating: "this is nonsense, utter nonsense".

We were happy to hear that and thought that the judge’s words would influence his decision, but this was not the case: he agreed to extend remand by 5 days, that is until 25.2.11 - which is a Friday. Would they convene the court at the end of the remand extension of Abdullah (and of his father) on a Friday? Almost certainly not. On Sunday? Maybe in the Military Court in Ofer? Next Monday? We'll see.

 

Omar Hassan Ismail Issa, I.D. 907097224

 Atty. Firas Sabbah is representing him, as well as his son.

The police asks for 8 days - and in this case too, all the actors play their parts perfectly. The judge grants 5 days, the investigator respects this decision, and the defence says: I too agree.