Ofer - Administrative Detention, Barred (from meeting with attorney)

How long will they continue to torture Ahmad Qatamesh?

Dr. Ahmad Qatamesh is a writer and a lecturer on social sciences. He is 70 years old, and cumulatively has spent more than ten years in prison.

In 1998, after serving five and a half years under administrative detention, he was released. He then completed his PhD in Social Sciences. He made his living teaching, writing books, publishing articles criticizing the Oslo Agreement, advocating for one, democratic state, and inveighing against corruption in the Palestinian Authority. But that was then.

In 2013, after a two-year administrative detention he was released, but he never resumed his political activity. This did not prevent another administrative detention in May 2017.

Over the years, Qatamesh has been declared “prisoner of conscience” by Amnesty International on several occasions.

On 1.1.20 he was arrested again and put under a 4-month administrative detention.

He was brought before Judge Lieut. Col. Zvi Einhorn.

He is represented by Attys. Saleh and Boulos.

Unrelated to the administrative detention he was also charged with sedition. Perhaps he gave a lecture somewhere.

It was heartbreaking to see him on the defendant’s bench. He had changed dramatically. His brother told us that Qatamesh spends most of his time sleeping.

The attorneys said they needed to study the case, so the next hearing was set for 11.3.20.

Halima Samih Abdullatif Hassan was brought for remand extension before Judge Major Maor Even-Hen.

Defense: Atty. Maamoun Hashim.

Halima Hassan, dressed in traditional garb with her head covered, is accused of belonging to the Popular Front, weapon possession and the attempted kidnapping of an Israeli citizen 6 months ago.

Halima works as a cleaner. She was arrested at her place of work.

The decision was: remand extension until 20.1.20 to complete the investigation and transfer the case to the prosecution.

Halima’s two daughters and her sister attended the hearing. They looked clueless.