Salem Military Court, Tuesday, 1.8.06 AMObservers and reporters: Yehudit H, Revital S.We went to court at the request of the Jerusalem group that we follow the trial of Maher Mahmoud Abdallah Rian from the “Democratic Organisation for Rights of the Worker” in Ramallah, who is accused of assaulting a soldier at Zaatra Checkpoint on Saturday, May 27 2006, and is free on bail.When we arrived, shortly before commencement of the trials, we as always went to ask for the list of cases by courtroom, in order to find the one that interested us. It immediately became clear that he was not on the list, nor on the police lists.Meanwhile, his attorney, Daud Castro – who had been hired by the organisation that employs Rian – also arrived, and tried to clarify, through Ariel police, what had happened to his client’s file. There he was told that the file had undoubtedly been sent to the Salem prosecutor, but the Salem prosecutor’s could find no trace of the file.With the help of Legal Officer A, who was most cooperative, it became clear that Maher’s file had indeed been sent to Salem (Police File # 2960/06), but for some unexplained reason it had been returned, leaving no tracks at Salem. A. requested that it be sent again, and immediately helped the attorney to get a new date for trial (a copy of the summons is in our possession) on Tuesday, 10.10.06 at 09:30, unless the prosecution will meanwhile decide, based on the file when it arrives, that there is indeed no reason to bring him to trial.From the attorney we learnt that, even if they close the file for lack of basis for indictment, Rian’s movements will still be restricted, and he apparently will not be allowed to enter Israel. We were happy to hear from him that he intends to fight for his client’s justice, and will in no way agree to a plea bargain – even if it be decided to submit an indictment.The process took about three hours, the lawyer cancelled his day’s appointments, and Rian’s employers will have to pay him and, unless the file is closed, he and the accused will have to make their way again to Salem, through all the checkpoints operating against them en route.