Occupation authorities at the Ofer military court have sentenced 14-year-old Islam Tamimi to house arrest in Ramallah, effectively banishing him his home in al Nabi Saleh. With Islamâs arrest, more than half a dozen have people, primarily youth, have been arrested in the village.
At 2:00 in the morning on January 23, soldiers burst into the Islamâs home in the village of al Nabi Saleh. They arrested Islam, and attempted to capture his older brother, who escaped. Islam has been held in Ofer prison since.
According to Adameer Prisoners Support and Human Rights Association, Islam has been told he will be placed under house arrest, not in his family home in al Nabi Saleh, but instead in house in Ramallah. Furthermore, his parents have also been ordered to pay a NIS 10,000 fine. If they fail to do so by his next hearing, Islam will remained imprisoned.
Media reports state that the judge at the military court at Ofer ruled that Islam will be expelled for a period of time to a home in Ramallah. The address must be provided to the court, as well as the number for the land line, allowing Occupation police to ensure Islam does not return home.
Islamâs sentencing comes at a time when arrests of youth and organizers are mounting in al Nabi Saleh. The day after Islamâs arrest, soldiers briefly arrested and held his 10 year old brother, and several days later arrested several 15-year-old boys as well as the head of the popular committee, Bassam Tamimi, who was released later. Last Thursday, soldiers launched a dawn raid, arresting another of Islamâs brothers, Omar Tamimi (24) as well as Khalil Tamimi (16).
As we noted in the January 12 â 26 repression update, Occupation forces have always targeted youth and popular committee organizers to undermine protests. This has been consistent in al Maâsara, Bilâin and Niâlin is currently ongoing in al Nabi Saleh.