District Court - Minors, Women
Translation: Marganit W.
Jerusalem District Court
The wave of arrests that began in October 2015 is a very egalitarian one: men and women of all ages, minors, both boys and girls. In Damon and Sharon Prisons there are about 55 female prisoners from the Occupied Territories, from Israel, from East Jerusalem and from the surrounding villages.
We arrived (together with Shosh Kahn from Women for Women Prisoners) to attend the trial of Shuruk Daviat.
Shuruk Daviat, 18 years old, is from the village of Zur Baher. She is a student of history and Geography at Bethlehem University.
She is charged that on 7.10.15 she tried to stab someone in the Old City of Jerusalem. She was shot 4 times at close range and was left bleeding on the ground while people tried to yank her headgear. She was later taken to Hadassah Hospital in Eijn Karem where she underwent surgery. From the hospital she was brought in a wheelchair for interrogation at the Russian Compound. From the interrogation she was taken to Sharon Prison. In early December she was transferred to Damon Prison (recently reopened because Sharon Prison is overcrowded).
The charges against her include posts on Facebook.
In today’s hearing her attorney, Raid Al Ubra contested the clause referring to the posts on Facebook. He said on her behalf that she has no religious or nationalist ties. Whatever happened has nothing to do with her ideology. He added that Shuruk admits to having a knife in her purse, but denies the allegation that she intended to carry out a terrorist act. The attorney mentioned the fact that she had been shot at and beaten.
The next hearing was set for 29.3.16.
We then went to the third floor to join the family of a minor whose hearing had taken place the day before. Outside the court there was a demonstration in support of detainees
. The police dispersed the demonstrators. Underage boy and girl were brought to the court.
As Atty. Leah Tsemel said: all you need to do to get an update is to stand in the corridors of the court.