Ofer - Fines, Membership/activity in unauthorized association

Translation: Marganit W.

The unbearable lightness of arrest of minors

As soon as I entered the yard I was accosted by a man holding papers for posting bail. He seemed lost. He told me the following story: His 17-year old son and a friend were arrested upon leaving their school.

The two boys had been jailed at Ofer for two weeks.

The hearing was scheduled for today. The father mentioned that the translation at the court was good, so he was able to follow everything the judge said. And this is what he understood the judge to say: “Soldiers testified that the boys were throwing rocks. But there were inconsistencies: one soldier said the boy wore a red cap, another said the cap was white, and there were other inconsistencies.”

The judge decided to release the boys on bail, thus the father had to post 3500 shekels for each boy. The boys are neighbors, so he acted on behalf of both.

The father looked at me helplessly: where could he get such large sums? He added that this is the time of “Tahujihi” (Palestinian Matriculation exams). Why were the boys jailed for two weeks?

Hearing in the case of

Suzan Abed Alkareem Ahmad Awiwi

Judge: Major Kamal Zaharladin

Defense: Atty. Akram Samarra

A revised indictment was read and the detainee admitted to membership and activity in an unlawful organization. The charges included details of her membership in the Hamas Hebron Women’s Committee.

In his verdict the judge explained that Suzan Awiwi was in charge of visiting prisoners’ families and organizing activities for them on behalf of Hamas. She ran for office in municipal elections for Mustakbal party and won a seat. Suzan Awiwi is also accused of collecting money for committee activity on behalf of Hamas.

Sentence:

12 months in prison starting with the day of arrest.

12 months probation for 5 years (for maintaining contact with the enemy and receiving enemy money).

4 months probation for 3 years (for attending a meeting of  an illegal organization)

6000 shekels fine.

Suzan’s husband and her father were present in the court. The fine was paid and she was released the same day.

It is important to note that in the 7 hearings of the women accused of belonging to the Hebron Women Council, there was no mention of call for violence. It was always civil, social and humanitarian activity.