Russian Compound, Jerusalem - Holding and trading of combat materiel, Remand Extension

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Observers: 
Roni Hammermann, Tova Szeintuch (reporting)
May-19-2014
|
Morning

 

 

Translation: Diana Rubanenko

 

Observers: Roni Hammermann, Tova Szeintuch (reporting)

 

Judge: Major Naftali Shmuelevich

 Police investigator: Mr. Afif Aweideh

 Defence Counsel: Firas Sabah, Tareq Bargout

 

Five cases in the docket. Two are barred from meeting with an attorney (meaning that we as spectators are not permitted to observe both parts of their hearings. In the  first part, the defence presents the detainee, then the detainee is brought in, and his attorneys leave the courtroom. Under the recommendation of a pre-High Court recommendation in 2009, we should be allowed - as a civilian presence - to be present at both parts of the hearing).

 

Judge Shmuelevich does not allow us to be present, because the President of the Military Court decided not to allow a civilian presence while the barred detaineesinfo-icon are being discussed.

 

We asked the worthy judge for Minutes, but he did not accede to our request - citing security reasons.

 

 

Muhammad Ali Subhi Ghanem, ID 902846807

 

There is agreement on the extension of remand by a further eight days for the investigation's purposes.

 

The charge: transferring money from Jordan [to a hostile organization].

 

 

Ma'azaz Khalil Muhammad Abiyat, ID 941286957

 

Arrested on 30 April 2014. This is his fourth remand extension.

 

The detainee notes that, during detention, he received a powerful blow to his back.

The police are seeking a remand extension of eight days.

The charge: membership in Hamas and military activity.

 

The judge explains to defence counsel Firas that the detainee objects to being represented by an attorney. He is innocent, he says, and therefore does not need representation.

 

The detainee's statement is read out in Arabic. Justice Shmuelevich does not understand Arabic, and the investigator gives him an outline of the detainee's statement. The judge explains to the attorney what the investigator translated.

 

The judge, defence counsel Firas, and the investigator explain to the detainee the advantages of professional representation, particularly - the judge told him - if he is not guilty.

 

Ma'azaz Khalil Muhammad Abiyat is convinced and agrees to be represented by Firas Sabbah.

 

Defence counsel: Is there any progress in the investigation?

Investigator: No, there is no progress.

 

Most of the defence counsel's questions were answered with references to the confidential report.

 

From an exchange between the defence counsel and the investigator, we learn that there is no progress in the investigation; that other people are involved, and that he was incriminated, but hasn't been confronted with his incriminators.

 

According to the defence counsel, the 'incriminators' maintain that the detainee was not connected to the security event. Their relationship is solely social.

 

The judge decides to extend the detainee's remand only by another four days, even though he knew no hearing will be held on Thursday because the court staff will be participating in a sports day. He expects the hearing will be brought forward to Wednesday.

 

 

Taleb Abu Azmi Majed Hamad, ID 913997300

 

The detainee arrived at the Russian Compound jail yesterday.

The investigator requests another 15 days for questioning.

The charges: activities against regional security, planning a military operation; and possession of combat materiel.

The defence asks if the activity is up-to-date.

The investigator 's response is: Yes, up-to-date.

 

Then a problem arises: the prisoner was brought from prison, where he has already spent 16 months in administrative detention. Now he is being held until the end of proceedings and is being interrogated concerning dealing in combat materiel. The suspicion that came up in the new investigation is indeed up-to-date, because he is again trading in weapons. That is, he is being interrogated now on suspicions that the GSS probably already investigated him for.

 

While many of the police investigator’s replies referred to the confidential report, defence counsels Bargout and Sabbah insisted on clarifying the duplication - an interrogation regarding the same charges.

 

The investigator is requested to clarify the matter by the next remand extension, in eight days' time.