Russian Compound, Jerusalem - Stone Throwing, Danger to Regional Security

Translation: Marganit W.

Judge: Lieut.-Col. Menahem Lieberman

Defense: Luai Oka, Firas Sabah

Police Investigator: Suleiman Aamer

Two detainees are brought in for remand extension; one has been barred from seeing counsel from the moment of his arrest.

Mahmoud Zaharan Ibrahim Zaharan – ID 860191345

The Police requests a 15-day remand to complete the investigation.

The charge is: activity endangering security in the region.

Zaharan was arrested 4 days earlier.

There is an exchange between the defense and the police investigator:

-Is the activity organizational?

-We don’t know yet.

- Is there military activity?

-It is in the confidential file.

-He was interrogated regarding rock throwing. Are there other suspicions?

-He was interrogated by the Shabak [GSS]. The details of the interrogation are in the confidential file.

-Does he collaborate with the investigators?

- I have not yet interrogated him. I don’t know about the Shabak interrogation.

Justice Lieberman is upset with the investigator; he tells him to read the material beforehand and come prepared to court. The judge voices similar comments throughout.

-Are other people involved?

-It is in the confidential file.

Defense summation:

I object to 15-day remand. This is the detainee’s first extension hearing. He has been twice interrogated by the Shabak. He was told that he is suspected of rock throwing but was not questioned on other allegations.

A.Sh.(the operative who sent him) has long been under investigation. He mentioned Zaharan in his interrogation. The defense sees no need for 15 days in order to obtain admission on charges where the Shabak has already plenty of material. There is no need for additional 15 days for investigation purposes.

Judge’s summation:

The detainee was arrested four days ago and has been under interrogation since. From the confidential material in the file the judge learns that there is ground to suspect the detainee of involvement in dangerous activity. The reports indicate clearly that he threw rocks, but the interrogation yielded other suspicions. There is ground for further detention.

Majid Bilal Muhammad Ashtiya – ID 402105084 (barred from meeting with attorney)

We attended the first part of the hearing, while the detainee was absent from court.

The investigator requests 15 more days.

The charge: activity endangering security in the region. The suspicions are recent, the investigator states.

The defense asks: Are we talking about planning an action or an action carried out?

Answer: It’s in the confidential file.

Q: How many times has he been interrogated?

A: Twice, by the Shabak.

Q: Were the interrogations continuous?

A: On the two occasions (on 12.12 and 14.12) the interrogation lasted from 10 AM to 7 PM. No breaks are mentioned.

Defense summation:

The defense objects to the police’s request, moving for a shorter investigation. The detainee has been barred from seeing an attorney since his arrest.

At this point we were taken out of the court, together with the attorneys, and the detainee was brought in.

We left the facility.