Weekly
Stop the Wall
Repression Update
Period: Monday 11 October to Monday 18 October 2010
Summary:
1) Arrests of HRDs
In the same week as the sentencing of Abdullah Abu Rahmeh, several more human rights defenders were arrested, including five from Al Nabi Saleh
2) Violence against HRDs
Palestinians taking part in the weekly protests and a farmer trying to defend his land during the olive harvest suffered serious injuries through actions of the Occupation Forces and settlers respectively
3) Collective punishment
Silwan in Jerusalem suffered from closures and incursions from the Israeli forces attempting to stop the non-violent actions of people calling for an end to the oppressive practices of the Occupation
1) Arrests of HRDs
New arrests
Place: At Tuwani (Hebron)
Date of arrests: Monday 11 October
Names: Mohammad Makharmeh, 20 years old
Circumstances: Occupation Forces beat three Palestinians during the night before detaining Mohammad
Place: Hebron
Date of arrests: Sunday 17 October
Names: Iyad Jamel Al Alami, 24 years old, local popular committee member
Circumstances: He was given 6 months detention due to involvement in demonstrations
Place: Beit Ummar (Hebron)
Date of arrests: Wednesday 13 October
Names: two Palestinian journalists (unnamed)
Circumstances: Palestine Solidarity Project reported that the journalists were arrested as they tried to cover the expansion of an illegal settlement in the area
Place: Al-Nabeh Saleh
Date of arrests: Friday 15 October
Names: Muhammad Atallah, 21 years old; Malek Talal, 22 years old; Mahdi Abdul Wahab, 19 years old; Palestinian journalist (unnamed) and international activist (unnamed)
Circumstances: Undercover Occupation Forces stormed the village and used electronic devices to initiate electric shocks on the human rights defenders so they were unable to escape before arresting them
Releases
Trials
Past court hearings: On Tuesday 12 October, the Israeli Court sentenced Abdullah Abu Rahmeh, the Bilâin Popular Committee Co-ordinator, to 1 year in prison followed by a six month suspended sentence for 3 years. He will be released next year and unable to take part in any protest activities until his sentence is completed in 3 years.
Upcoming court hearings: no information available
Ill-treatments/Torture
No information available
Other
2) Violence against HRDs
Killings
No information available
Injuries with live rounds
No information available
Other serious injuries
Name: Hijazi al-Nawagâa, 18; Raâfat Makharmeh, 18; Mohammad Makharmeh, 20
Place: At Tuwani (Hebron)
Date of injury: Monday 11 October
Circumstances: The Occupation Forces beat the three human rights defenders during the night, breaking Hijazi al-Nawagâaâs hand and arresting
Mohammad Makharmeh
Name: Ismael Lutfi, 55 years old
Place : Awarta, Nablus
Date of Injury: Friday 15 October
Circumstances: Lutfi suffered two broken legs and injuries to his thigh when a pig was let loose from one of the settlements, also damaging his crops.
Name: George, American activist, 24 years old
Place: al Maâsara
Date of injury: Friday 15 October
Circumstances: The activist suffered injuries to the head after tear gas bombs were fired directly at him during the villageâs weekly protest
Name: Fakhri Abu Dhiab, grassroots committee leader; Hatem Abdel Qader, former Minister of Jerusalem Affairs; Nader Paypars and Mays Abu-Ghazaleh, journalists
Date of injury: Friday 15 October
Circumstances: Israel forces stormed a protest tent and fired tear gas at worshippers, journalists, local committee members and children, injuring many. More information below.
Other
3) Collective Punishment
Damage of property
No information available
Closures
Place: Wadi Hilweh, Silwan
Date of closure: Saturday 16 October
Time of closure: unknown
Circumstances: Barriers were erected to close off access to several roads around Wadi Hilweh, preventing villagers from entering, whilst the Israeli Public Security Minister and Right Wing Knesset members visited settlement outposts in the village. Families from the neighbourhood of Bir Ayyub called for the delegation to leave the area, waving Palestinian flags at the motorcade as it drove through the streets
Incursions
Place: Silwan, Jerusalem
Date of incursion: Friday 15 October
Circumstances: Israeli forces attacked a protest tent where a number of people were holding Friday prayers. Tear gas was fired at the worshippers and the Israeli police ordered that the protest tent be dismantled but this was rejected by the organisers. The tent was protesting against the Judaization of the village, the settlements and the armed attacks against the inhabitants.
Other