Ofer - Plea Bargain, Sentence
Translation: Diana Rubanenko
"Sometimes weak people fall into a trap" - the defence counsel
Shosh Kahn (Women's Organization for Female Political Prisoners) and I arrived especially for the petition in the matter of remand extension until conclusion of legal proceedings in the case of Mona Araman .
She has been in detention since April on suspicion of transferring funds from Jordan to the Hamas organisation. As is often the case, the story is far more layered.
Mona's husband and her sister also attended the proceedings.
Her husband has leukaemia and cancer of the bones. He seems close to death. The couple are childless. They went to Jordan to undergo medical treatment. It is common knowledge that no hospital in the Occupied Territories can provide the medical treatment needed in such a case. Apparently they received help in Jordan, and perhaps in return for that help they brought money back to the Occupied Territories.
Attorney Laviv Haviv believes it pointless to leave the petitioner in prison until the end of proceedings.
The Honourable Deputy-President: Lieut.-Col Zvi Lekach
The petitioner: Mona Tufik Ahmed Araman - ID 411558299
Represented byattorney Labib Habib
Responding for the prosecution: Lieut. Netanel Yakov-Hai
In the very long proceedings, Attorney Habib listed all the flaws which, in his opinion, are discernible in the investigation process: the length of time during which the petitioner was barred from meeting an attorney, and chiefly the very bleak circumstances in which the offence was committed.
He explained again that the whole monetary context was for the sake of medical treatment for her husband. Mr. Habib argued that the petitioner presents no danger, and there is no concern that she will not appear in court.
The prosecutor said that what is visible here is a classic case of recruiting a courier to bring funds to Hamas. He contended: "Who will Hamas approach, if not people in dire straits?"
Mr. Habib answered this argument by saying that if the judicial system operated according to principles that respect human rights, there is no reason why the system would brutalise weak people.
The decision will be given at a later date.
Judge: Major Haim Balilti
Prosecutor: Lieut. Raphael Shafransky
Defence: Atty Neri Ramati
Accused:Muhammed Fares Yassin Esh'al - ID 854712395
Accused:Majdi Muhammed Ibrahim Burnat - ID 854857836
The case concerns two young men from Bil'in accused of cutting the fence, which the court defines as sabotage to an IDF facility.
Previously, the young men were released on bail of NIS 7,500 each.
The case was first heard by Justice Major Balilti as a case concerning proof; but in the meanwhile evidentiary material has been added that caused difficulties in proving the indictment's content, and so the parties decided to strike a plea-bargain.
The sentence under the plea-bargain:
27 days to be served concurrently with the duration of their detention
2 months probation for the duration of 24-months.
Each of the accused was fined NIS 2,000, and the amount will be forfeited from their bail funds.