Weekly Repression Update 22-29 November 2010 -

Weekly

Stop the Wall

Repression Update

Period: Monday 22 November to Monday 29 November 2010

Summary:

1) Arrests of HRDs and Minors

Late night raids were a key feature of the forceful practices of the Occupation forces this week, which were followed by arrests of HRDs in Bilï¿½in and Hebron.

Abullah Abu Rahmah who was due to be released this week after serving a one year sentence, had his imprisonment extended following a last minute petition filed by the military prosecution

2) Violence against HRDs

A group of settlers surrounded and injured a farmer as he was tending to his sheep and goats in the hills of Nablus

3) Collective punishment

The weekly protests at Nabi Saleh in Bethlehem provoked a severe response from the IOF, who used local houses as military vantage points to target the demonstrators

1) Arrests of HRDs and Minors
New arrests	Place: Bilï¿½in Date of arrests: Tuesday 23 November Names: Mohammad Adeeb Abu Rahma (16 years) Circumstances: IOF soldiers forcefully arrested the minor after a raid and search of his home. His father, Mohammed Adeeb Abu Rahma, was imprisoned for 18 months at Ofer prison for his role in the peaceful demonstrations in Bilï¿½in Place: Beit Ummar, Hebron Date of arrests: Thursday 25 November Names: Yousef and Mousa Abu Maria, co-founders of the Palestine Solidarity Project Circumstances: The two HRDs were arrested following a late night raid on their home. Three computers belonging to the Palestine Solidarity Project were taken by the IOF and the two brothers were forced to stand outside in freezing temperatures at Gutz Etzion military base for 5 hours without proper shoes or clothing. They were ordered to stop a weekly land reclamation project in the neighbouring village of Saffa. Place: Beit Ummar, Hebron Date of arrests: Thursday 25 November Names: Saddam Abu Dayeh, 25 and Muayad Mahmoud At-tit, 20 Circumstances: The two were arrested north of Beit Ummar during the night raid targeting activists from the area Place: Al Maï¿½sara Date arrests: Friday 26 November Names: Muï¿½tasem Saï¿½di, 15 years and 4 international HRDs (unidentified) Circumstances: the minor and international activists were arrested during the weekly demonstration Place: Sair, near Hebron Date of arrests: Monday 29 November Names: Rifat Jaradat, 15 years Circumstances: The minor was taken from his house in his pyjamas during a late night raid. Jaradat was previously held by the IOF for 8 days, but it is not known what the reasons are for his current detention
Releases	No information available
Trials	Past court hearings: On 23 November Israel's Military Court of Appeals extended the detention of anti-wall protest leader Abdallah Abu Rahmah past the term of his sentence, his lawyer said. Abu Rahmah, the coordinator of the Bil'in Popular Committee, was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment for his role in his village's campaign against the construction of Israel's wall on its lands. He was convicted of incitement and organizing illegal demonstrations. He was sentenced to one year imprisonment, and was scheduled to be released on Thursday. But a military judge accepted a last-minute petition filed by the military prosecution to extend Abu Rahmah's detention past his release date. Upcoming court hearings:
Ill-treatments/Torture	No information available
Other	MAï¿½AN news agency: Lawyers and supporters of imprisoned HRD Abdullah Abu Rahmah have condemned the latest decision to extend his detention. His lawyer Gaby Lasky said, "The decision to keep Abdallah Abu Rahmah detained even after his sentence has ended is a mockery of the very concept of justice, but comes as no surprise. The military prosecution and courts are a well oiled machine of politically motivated unfair legal process." His sentence generated international outrage, and was denounced by human rights organizations and the international community, including EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, who expressed her deep concern. Human Rights Watch denounced the verdict, pronouncing the whole process "an unfair trial". South African human right activist Archbishop Desmond Tutu called on Israel to overturn the ruling on behalf of the Elders, a group of international public figures brought together by Nelson Mandela. Members of the Elders, including Tutu, met with Abu Rahmah on their visit to Bil'in in 2009 prior to his arrest. According to his supporters, Abu Rahmah's conviction was based only on testimonies of minors who were arrested in the middle of the night and denied legal counsel despite significant concerns, acknowledged by the court, over their questioning.
2) Violence against HRDs and Minors
Killings	No information available
Injuries with live rounds	No information available
Other serious injuries	Name: Abdul Hamid Tawfiq (45 years) Place: Nablus Date of injury: Thursday 25 November Circumstances: A group of settlers thought to be from Kistra settlement surrounded and injured the farmer as he was trying to tend to his sheep and goats in the hills south of Nablus
Other
3) Collective Punishment
Damage of property	No information available
Closures	No information available
Incursions	Place: Nabi Saleh Date: Friday 26 November Circumstances: Following the Friday protests at Nabi Saleh, the IOF raided two homes belonging to Abu Haitham and Hilmi Al Tamimi and used them as military vantage points to target the protesters. Some houses were shot at with tear gas bombs and clashes continued until nightfall
Other