Ofer - Conspiracy to Kill, Membership/activity in unauthorized association

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Observers: 
Rachel Afek, Ricky Shaked, Nitza Aminov (reporting)
Nov-12-2018
|
Morning

Translation: Marganit W.

 

The Right to Change your Mind

 

Judge: Major Etty Hadar

Defense: Atty. Ahlam Haddad

 

Defendant: Bian Faroun Azam

 

On 11.3.18 two Beir-Zeit University students were arrested:

Bian Faroun and Batoul Al-Ramhi.

A few days later Istbarak Tamimi was also arrested.

 

The revised indictment contains serious allegations:

membership and activity in a proscribed organizations, (i.e. Hamas), conspiracy to commit homicide and contact with the enemy.

 

The charge is that between Jan. 2017 until her arrest, Bian Azam was a member of a Hamas network whose members planned to carry out  suicide attacks as part of the opposition to the occupation. Bian Azam received money with which she bought laptops and pc gadgets. She agreed to become a suicide bomber.

To everyone’s relief, she regretted her decision.

The conspiracy, it turned out, was very rudimentary and there was no follow up.

 

The defense presented medical records showing that while in prison, a pot of boiling oil was poured on Bian Azam, and as a result she requires plastic surgery.

 

The judge agreed that the conspiracy was sketchy and did not go anywhere.

 

In the hearing, Bian Azam said that she had a change of heart during her incarceration and that she wishes to go back to school and marry her fiancé. She is betrothed to a man who is also in prison. His mother and brother attended all the hearings, since they are not allowed to visit her in prison. Bian Azam has very few visitors in jail; her mother is deceased and her father is blind and needs an escort.

Sentence: 40-month prison time: 18 months suspended sentence for each charge for 5 years, plus a 6-month suspended sentence for 3 years for belonging to an unlawful organization, and the usual 2000-shekel fine.

 

We later attended the hearing of

Batoul Al-Ramhi

Judge: Etty Hadar

Defense: Atty. Fadi Qawasme (represented by Atty. Khaled Al-Araj.)

 

The charges against Batoul Al-Ramhi are the same as those against Bian Azam. She, too, volunteered to be a suicide bomber. Like Bian Azam, she wrote a farewell letter.

To everyone’s relief, she, too, changed her mind.

 

The next hearing is set for 11.12.18 – arguments for punishment.