Ofer - Administrative Detention, Fines
Translation: Marganit W.
Based on her admission, the accused was convicted of wielding a knife on 21.6.17 – this was part of a plea bargain
We are compelled to continue reporting on the plight of Palestinian women who see Israeli prisons as the only alternative to abusive domestic situations.
This time it is a woman from Yatta who asked that none of her relatives attend the hearings (she made the same request in earlier hearings).
In the yard we saw her parents and uncle as well as Atty. Akram Samara who later came out to talk to them.
We respect her wish and do not publish her name.
The woman showed up at the checkpoint, told the soldier that she had a knife in her bag and asked to be arrested.
In his preamble to the plea bargain Atty. Samara says “The defendant sought arrest. There is a domestic dispute with the husband and the family, which is why she requested to bar them from attending the hearing. While in detention she was offered release but she refused.
Despite her refusal to go home, an agreement was reached which includes 6 months and a day prison time, 6 months suspended sentence for two years and a 2000-shekel fine.
(Again we ask: why monetary fine? To finance the courts?)
Tahrir Abu Saria
Another hearing of the prosecution’s appeal of the decision to release her on bail.
Tahrir has been in prison for a month: for some reason, she is held with criminal prisoners at Neve Tirtza.
The charge: publications on Facebook.
Her mother was arrested with her and was kept for five days at Neve Tirtza. At the same time her father and brother were also detained for two days.
We spoke with the mother at length. She is very worried because her daughter is headstrong and opinionated, which may cause trouble in prison.
In addition, there was no way to send Tahrir clothes since her arrest.
No date is set for the next hearing. It is not clear how this tale of scary Facebook posts “that threatens the security system” will end.
In the yard we spoke with the mother and sister of an underage detainee who has been in jail since May. Her hearing did not take place because the attorney was late, but the girl was brought to court and the judge allowed her mother and sister to speak with her.
I ran into Atty. Mahmoud Hassan and jokingly asked if he did not have any new administrative detainee. He said he had: Badran Jaber from Hebron.
He requested postponement of the hearing to 28.9.17 so he could present medical records.
Badran has cancer. Many years ago he was a political activist, but since 2006 he has not been arrested. It is not clear why now they decided to detain him; but administrative detention does not require indictment and the material presented to the judge is secret. It is also called “preventive detention.”