Ofer - Stone Throwing, Holding and trading of combat materiel
Translation: Marganit W.
It is Ramadan, so very few people are waiting in the yard and only a few hearings take place.
Courtroom 1
Judge: Menahem Lieberman
Military Prosecutor: Elhanan Dreyfus
Defense: Atty. Nery Ramati
Defendant: Muhammad Adeeb Ahmad Abu Rahmeh – ID 859218091
Muhammad has been released on bail and is not present. Absent is also the investigation file from April 2014. It was handed back to the police and got lost.
The Abu Rahmeh family is from Bil’in. They are active in the resistance to the separation wall.
(See earlier reports on Abu-Rahmeh’s case)
The hearing was a continued attempt by the prosecution to prevent the defense from reading the investigation reports. The defense wanted to see a Prison Service report indicating when Abu Rahmeh entered or exited from prison. The military prosecutor declared that “the prosecution is not obligated to hand this material to the defense.”
The defense also requested to see memoranda from police and Shabak [GSS] interrogations as well as cellphone info (not clear whose).
The prosecutor said: “I am in personal contact with the Shabak, and I hope I can obtain this material.”
This, to my mind, is a nebulous answer. He either obtains the material or not. Personal relations with the Shabak can help the prosecutor obtain the investigation reports, but can also make them disappear. Whose interest is it?
The defense requested also the injunctions, but again the prosecutor was not sure he could get them from the Shabak. He may have to ask other agencies.
The defense said he had requested these materials on 28.5.15, i.e., two months ago, and it is not clear why he could not obtain them; they are very relevant to the case.
Red tape always comes to the rescue. The judge ordered the prosecution to make special effort (meaning what exactly? And what if they fail?) to hand the file over to the defense. The prison entry and exit report has to reach the defense within 14 days.
On 19.8.15 a hearing will take place without the defendant’s presence.
In short, more and more postponements.
Amran A’id Amran Suleiman – Case 6336/14
Military prosecutor: Gali Katlan
Defense: Labib Habib
This one went even faster. Amran lives in Ramallah, is 25 years old and married. He is a certified sheik and studies Islam at Al Quds University.
His father and his sister are in court.
According to the division of duties, his wife visits him in jail and his father and sister attend the court hearings.
The charge is possession of arms.
The hearing was postponed to Monday 20.7.15.
Judging by he case number, he was arrested a year ago and the trial is still pending.
Abed Al Halim Louai Abed Al Halim Hawaja – Case 8733/13
In this case, too, no trial and no hearing took place.
The case number indicates that Hawaja has been detained for two years.
The charge is possession of arms.
His father told me he was found in possession of a sharp instrument.
Legal cases drag for years in matters that do not require complicated testimony or examination.
Courtroom 2 – remand extensions of minors
The court guards the rights of minors, hence the hearing is behind closed doors.
Courtroom 4
Judge: Haim Balilty
Military prosecutor: Elhanan Dreyfus
Defense: Nery Ramati
Decision in the case of
Zein Abu Maria, ID 85484 - Case 1789/15
Zein is 18 years old and comes from Beit Ummar.
His father tells us that Zen was arrested 5 months ago together with his cousin, on charges of rock throwing.
The sentence was 9 months in prison.
(See earlier report)
The following hearing did not take place because the defendant was not brought in.