Ofer - Barred (from meeting with attorney), Health Problems

Before the hearing we spoke at length with the husband and daughter of Amal. The husband is a retired educator who does volunteer work. He told us that Amal loves birds and flowers and that their house is full of birdcages. She was arrested because she had bought two bottles of alcohol.

Amal comes from the village of Doha. She is 52 years old, mother of 5, a nurse working in Beit Jala.

On 1.11.17 soldiers broke into their house and took her for interrogation at the Russian Compound.

For 12 days she has been barred from seeing an attorney.

Amal has many health issues: diabetes, hypertension, herniated discs. She asked for a 2-week postponement because riding in the prison van is very painful for her.

The remand extension hearing came before Justice Major Sebastian Osovsky.

The defense was Atty. Ahmad Safiya.

The judge asked Amal about her health, recalling that in the earlier hearing she complained about the tight handcuffs. She told him that in prison she receives only some of the medications she needs: none for diabetes or blood pressure.

Her attorney said he would submit the necessary medical records.

In his decision the judge appealed to the prison authorities to provide her with the necessary medical support.

“The indictment against the accused includes: contact with the enemy, possession of arms, conspiracy to plant a bomb, and two additional charges linking her to ISIS!

Amal’s husband told us that their 15-year old son and 9-year old daughter were given permits to visit her in jail. When they arrived at the gate they were not allowed in. They waited five hours.

The judge suggested that for the next hearing the father should bring the 15-year old son and he (the judge) would see to it that the son is  let in to see his mother.

In Justice Major Haim Balilti court we attended the evidentiary hearing of Abdulla Abu Rahme.

He is represented by Atty. Gaby Laski.

Reminder: Abdulla Abu Rahme, from Bil’in, was arrested in May this year: he was riding his bike to the fields that lie beyond the separation wall. Allegedly, he ignored the BP order to evacuate the area.

He was charged with disturbing the police.

He was released on 15,000-shekel bail!

Today, the policeman who had interrogated him testified.

The next hearing is set for 17.1.18 at 9:30.