Ofer - Remand Extension, Administrative Detention
Translation: Marganit W.
The military prosecution has indicted Khalida Jarrar, a member of the Palestinian parliament, who is currently under administrative detention.
We arrived early, accompanied by Shosh Kahn of “Women for Political Prisoners” and representatives of international human rights organizations, lawyers, diplomats and 2 representatives of Amnesty Israel. Osama Saadi, of the United Party was also present.
We were not sure if we would be allowed to observe the hearing because discussions of administrative detentions are carried out behind closed doors.
Toward noon we were summoned to one of the bigger halls where chairs had been prepared. I sat in the front row next to Khalida’s older sister who wanted to hug her. She told me, I am her sister, why won’t they let me hug her? The officer in charge asked me to translate for her his explanation that physical contact is forbidden. Normally, families are allowed to sit only in the back row, but this time an exception was made and they were allowed to sit in the front.
The hearing was presided by Justice Major Rani Amar. The protocol did not indicate the prosecutor’s name; it said only, “representative of Lieut.-Col. Moris Hirsch (who is head of the military prosecution.)
Atty. Mahmoud Hassan informed the court that he had received the charge sheet with the prosecution’s arguments only an hour earlier, so he requested a postponement to study the material.
At the moment the accused is under administrative detention until 1.10.15.
It was decided that on 29.4.15 the court will discuss her detention until the conclusion of the proceedings.
At the end of the session, Khalida’s husband approached her to take his leave of her, but was prevented from doing so. His cry, “But I’m her husband” was left hanging in the air.
Outside the courtroom Atty. Sahar Francis tried to understand and explain the charge sheet. It refers to some past activity of Jarrar, some political and social activity that every Palestinian parliamentarian engages in.
It should be noted that all Palestinian organizations represented in the Parliament – including Fatah and the Popular Front [for the Liberation of Palestine] – are still considered proscribed associations or terrorist organizations. However, the prosecution’s policy has always been to indict only those members accused of membership in Hamas and the Islamic Jihad. It is clear therefore that other motives are at play here.
See report by Addameer Organization
and details of Jarrar’s arrest in “+972” blog.
In the yard we again encountered many Palestinians from Beit Ummar, the village where so many inhabitants (both adults and minors) are in jail. This is the village where the IDF killed Ziad Awad during the funeral of Jaffar Awad.
Again, we attended a hearing in the case of Zein Abu Maria and Muhammad Abu Hashem who have been in jail for 3 months now.
Judge: Major Haim Balilti
Prosecutor: Lieut. Rephael Shafransky
Defense: Nery Ramati
Defendant: Muhammad Ahmad Halil Abu Hashem – ID 459493918
Both the prosecution and the defense ask to join the two cases so evidence can be jointly presented.
The accused men deny the allegations. Since the beginning of the process they have requested an evidentiary hearing on one charge only: rock throwing.
Prosecution Witness No. 2 (in custody, of course) was supposed to attend, but he had not been summoned.
Thus a hearing was set for 29.4.15 to hear this witness’s testimony.
Shosh Kahn and I waited for a hearing in the case of an underage girl. We spoke at length with the girl’s mother who was on the brink of collapse. Like everyone else, she had left home very early that morning, and the hearing did not begin until 16:30. Sometimes the families are told what time the hearing would take place, but Palestinian’s time does not count, and so they have to wait long hours for the chance to see their loved ones for a few minutes.