Raccolta di comunicati e report, da ISM e Gush-Shalom, riguardanti gli 8 attivisti dell'ISM ancora detenuti in un carcere israeliano, essendo stato negato il rilascio su cauzione. Oggi l'udienza, più volte rimandata, in cui potrebbero essere condannati con la deportazione forzata.

Wed Jul 16, 2003 2:27 pm
HEARING FOR ISM PRISONERS TOMORROW
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/palsolidarity/message/641

The hearing for the eight imprisoned international peace activists has been set for tomorrow thursday july 17th at 11:30AM at the Tel Aviv district court, 1 Weizman St., corner of Shaul Hamelech.
The eight activists began refusing food last night in protest over the abuse of Palestinian prisoners and in solidarity with Palestinian political prisoners hungerstriking across Israel. They were also demanding their immediate and unconditional release as they were arrested while non-violently protesting illegal occupation policies and violation of Palestinian human rights.
This morning the Israeli police at the Ariel settlement police station punished the activists for their hungerprotest by taking away their books, pens, papers, cigarettes and phone cards that had been brought to them by israeli supporters.

Four of the Activistis Tobias Karlsson (SWEDEN), Tarek Loubani (CANADA), Fredrick Lind (DENMARK) and Bill Capowski (USA) were arrested on july 9, for sitting in a peace tent in Arrabony village near Jenin in protest over the confiscation of palestinian land for the building of the Apartheid wall by Israel. The other four, Daniel Knutsson (SWEDEN), Alex Perry (UK), Saul Reid (UK) and Thomas Pellas (FRANCE) were arrested on july 10 in the city of Nablus, for parttaking in a non-violent action removing roadblocks in defence of the Palestinian's human right of freedom of movement. Since their arrest their hearing has been postponed twice and they have been denied bail. Please come out and support if you can!
We need your help deferring our increasing legal fees. Please see our website http://www.palsolidarity.org if you can donate.


For more information, please contact:
Huwaida: +972-67-473308
ISM Media Office: +972-2-2774602



****
Report precedenti
****

Wed Jul 16, 2003 3:25 am
International volunteers stage protest from prison
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/palsolidarity/message/639

Bethlehem
15 Jul 03
ISM Media Office

International Volunteers Stage Protest From Prison

[Occupied West Bank] As of 7:00 pm tonight, Tuesday July 15, local Palestinian
time, eight peace
workers from the International Solidarity Movement (ISM), currently being
held by the Israeli Occupation Forces at the police station in Ariel
settlement in the West Bank, stopped eating in protest against the brutal
treatment of Palestinian prisoners and in solidarity with Palestinian prisoners
across Israel
hunger striking. The ISM activists are also demanding their own immediate
and unconditional release, as they were arrested while peacefully protesting the
illegal policies of the Israeli Occupation Forces and are currently being held
in an illegal settlement.

Four of the internationals imprisoned were arrested Wednesday July 9 and four
more were arrested July 10,
both groups engaging in non-violent activities. They have not been granted
bail at the request of the prosecution, which claims that they are "a high
security risk". Their judicial hearings have been postponed several times and
they have not
been given a date for their next hearing. Two Israeli citizens arrested
participating in the same activities have already been released and their
charges dropped.

For more information, please call

Huwaida: +972-67-473-308
ISM Media Office: +972-2-277-4602

For reports on the situation of Palestinian prisoners in Israel, please
see the following links:

Arrests, imprisonment and torture
http://www.pchr.org/Intifada/Arrests_torture_stat.htm

Administrative Detention - Statistics
http://www.btselem.org/English/Administrative_Detention/Statistics.asp

Palestinians held by Israeli security forces - Minors
http://www.btselem.org/English/Statistics/Imprisoned.asp#Anchor-47857


****
Tue Jul 15, 2003 9:14 am
INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY MOVEMENT
July 15, 2003

HEARING DATE FOR ISM 8 POSTPONED AGAIN
Bail Still Denied
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/palsolidarity/message/638


The hearing for the ISM 8, 4 of which have been held since Wednesday July 9, and 4 since Thursday July 10, has again been postponed, with no actual court date yet made known.



The Ministry of the Interior has cancelled the visas of the eight activists and the State continues to deny them bail. Below is the position of the State of Israel based on paperwork they submitted to the court (thank you to Gila Svirsky for the translation):


-----------------------start of quoted transcript

The position of the respondent is that the deportation of the Plaintiffs from Israel should not be delayed and they should not be released from custody, not even within the Tel-Aviv district and with a commitment by the Plaintiffs not to leave that area.



The position of the Respondent is based on the recommendation of security personnel, according to which the organization I.S.M. and its activists are perceived to be a security risk.



The Respondent has information that links all the Plaintiffs to the organization I.S.M. This information will be provided to the court in the presence of one side, if required.



The goal of the I.S.M. organization (hereinafter “the organization”) is to thwart the activity of the security forces in the territories and impede their work of preventing terrorism by confrontations with I.D.F. soldiers, barricading themselves in the homes of suicide terrorists to prevent their demolition, transport of Palestinians between various areas during periods of closure, and the like.



The activities of members of the organization, as described above, hamper the security activities of the I.D.F. and sometimes even endanger the safety of I.D.F. soldiers.

----------------- end of quoted transcript

The Israeli government is engaged in efforts to try to deligitimize the ISM and label the upholding of international law a crime. Seeking to deport the ISM activists is a tactic used to try to break the phenomena of international solidarity with the Palestinian freedom struggle and an attack on the nonviolent resistance to the Israeli occupation.

The four arrested in the Jenin area at the peace camp in Arrabony Tobias Karlsson (SWEDEN), Tarek Loubani (CANADA), Fredrick Lind (DENMARK) and Bill Capowski (USA) were engaged in peaceful protest with Palestinian villagers against the illegal confiscation of Palestinian land and the erection of a despicable Apartheid Wall. The four arrested in Nablus, Daniel Knutsson (SWEDEN), Alex Perry (UK), Saul Reid (UK) and Thomas Pellas (FRANCE) were nonviolently removing roadblocks that prevent Palestinians from traveling freely in and out of their own villages. The eight ISMers on trial and slated for deportation have broken no laws other than the laws of an occupation force that does not respect the human rights of the occupied Palestinians.

Furthermore, the 8 ISMers are seeking to continue to be and work with Palestinians in Palestinian cities, towns and villages and were snatched from Palestinian areas by Israeli soldiers.



Please help us protest their arrest, continued detention and planned deportation by contacting the Israeli Ministry of Interior and the Consulates / Embassies of the peace activists to inquire what they are doing to protest this kind of treatment of their foreign nationals. Write to your elected officials. Protest in front of Israeli Embassies in your home countries! The Israeli government is engaged in abusing the human rights and denying freedom to the Palestinian people and wants to make sure the world doesn’t see by silencing protest and nonviolent resistance to their occupation policies.

Mr. Abraham Poraz
Minister of Interior

Tel: 972-2-6701402
Facsimile: 972-2-5666376

Attorney General Elyakim Rubinstein
Tel: 972-2-6466521

Fax 972-2-6274481

Minister Mr. Avraham Poraz sar@moin.gov.il
Director Mr. Mordechay Mordechay mankal@moin.gov.il
Spokeswoman Ms. Tova Ellinson dover@moin.gov.il
Public Relations Ms. Nechama Pluga-Zecharia pniot@moin.gov.il


CANADA:

Consulate - +972-2-295-8604; Fax - +972-2-295-8606; email: rmlah@fait-maeci.gc.ca
Embassy - +972-3-636-3300; Fax - +972-3-636-3381

DENMARK

Consulate - +972-2- 240-2330; Fax - +972-2-240-0331; email: repkon@ramdk.org
Embassy - +972-3-544-2144; Fax - +972-3-546-5502; email: tlvamb@um.dk



FRANCE

Consulate - +972-2-625-9481; Fax - +972-2-625-9178; email: diplomat@p-ol.com
Embassy – +972-3-520-8300; Fax - +972-3-520-8340



SWEDEN

Consulate - +972-2- 582-8212/3; Fax - +972-2-582-8801
Embassy - +972-3-695-8111; Fax - +972-3-695-8116; email: swembtlv@trendline.co.il


UNITED KINGDOM

British Consulate - +972-2- 541-4100/112; Fax - +972-2-532-2368 / 5629; email: britain@palnet.com
Embassy – +972-3-725-1222; Fax - +972-3-527-8574; email: webmaster.telaviv@fco.gov.uk


UNITED STATES
Consulate - +972-2- 627-7230 / 625-3288; Fax - +972-2-624-9462;

Embassy - +972-3-519-7575; Fax - +972-3-510-8093


PLEASE DON’T FORGET TO WRITE TO YOUR OWN ELECTED OFFICIALS!!

ISM uses nonviolence to confront violence and is aware that this endangers perpetrators of violence, human rights abuses and colonization. We don’t expect justice from a government that sanctions the above, but do call on the international community to join our efforts and not remain silent.


****
Mon Jul 14, 2003 3:28 am
Subject: Update on hearing of 8 ISMers / ACTION ALERT
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/palsolidarity/message/637

1) Update / Appeal / ACTION ALERT
2) Press release: Eight peace activists threaten Israeli security
3) Letter from an Israeli prison cell
4) Notes from jail
=======================
July 13, 2003
Friends,

No decision was reached today in the deportation hearing for the 8 imprisoned ISMers. The lawyer for the State asked for a postponement and according to our lawyers will push to make an issue about the ISM, seeking to have us declared "illegal". Therefore the deportation of the 8 peace activists will be on the basis that they are part of the ISM and less about the activity that they were arrested for. The next hearing date will likely be on Tuesday, July 15, but we were not given an exact time yet.

Also, the ISMers were NOT released on bail, the prosecution being adament about depicting them as "great dangers to state security." SEE THE PRESS RELEASE AT THE END

We're asking for your assistance in two areas:

1) If you can help us with some of the legal fees that we're incurring, please consider donating in one of the three following ways:

- Via paypal on our website

- Check or money order via our fiscal sponsors:
The Africa Fund
c/o Huwaida Arraf
1734 19th Street, NW #2
Washington DC 20009

- Bank transfer to the following account:
G & G & H & N (ISM)
Bank Hapoalim - Main Branch Tel Aviv 600
Account No. 360883
Swift HAPOALILIT
Palestine Investment Bank
76-411
Account No. 78266

PLease help us protest by writing to:

Mr. Abraham Poraz
Minister of Interior
By Facsimile: 972-2-5666376
SAMPLE LETTER:
Dear Sir,

Re: Imprisonment of 8 human rights activists

I have been informed that your office has ordered the arrest and
deportation of eight international human rights activists, who are now
incarcerated in Ariel Police Station, where they have been detained
since July 10 without any charges filed against them.

I kindly request you to release the eight human rights activists
from their prison cell .I kindly request you to cancel any deportation
proceedings being conducted against them. From the information we
have gathered from them and their lawyers, they were arrested solely
for doing humanitarian work in the West Bank, notwithstanding the
fact they were not involved in any violent action.

We are very much concerned about the imprisonment and deportation
of international humanitarian activists. It has been seen, time and
again, that the presence of an international observer subdues, if only
slightly, what is often the aggressive behavior of occupation soldiers
and settlers against Palestinian civilians.

Deporting non-violent human-rights activists can only give ammunition
to those who seek to ridicule and undermine the State of Israel.

I would kindly ask you to inform me of your decision, and will continue
to follow developments regarding this case.

Sincerely,

--------------------------
copies:
Attorney General Elyakim Rubinstein, by Fax 972-2-6274481

Important:
After sending fax, confirm arrival of fax by the following numbers:
Ministry of Interior - 972-2-6701402
Attorney General - 972-2-6466521

====================================

2)

INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY MOVEMENT
July 13, 2003

EIGHT PEACE ACTIVISTS THREATEN ISRAELI SECURITY
Trial postponed; Bail denied



[Tel Aviv] No decision was reached today in the case of the eight peace activists slated for deportation by the Israeli
authorities. The prosecution asked for more time and the hearing was postponed until Tuesday July 15, though no
specific time has been set yet. In addition, the 8 imprisoned ISMers were NOT released on bail - the prosecution,
representing the state, being adamant on depicting them as "great dangers to state security." They were all transferred
back to the Ariel settlement police station, where they will be held until the next hearing.



Israeli and international peace activists packed the Tel Aviv courtroom this afternoon, for a 1:30pm hearing, as the eight internationals were brought in. Lawyers for the 8 activists were: Shamai Leibowitz, Leah Tsemel, Gaby Lasky and Yoni Lehrnman. After approximately 5 minutes of proceedings, the prosecution asked for more time and the court was recessed. Advocate Shamai Leibowitz informs that the prosecution is looking to make this case more about the ISM and less about the individual activities of those arrested, seeking to deport the eight internationals based on their affiliation with the ISM.

Tobias Karlsson (SWEDEN)

Tarek Loubani (CANADA)
Fredrick Lind (DENMARK)
Bill Capowski (USA)
All arrested on Wednesday July 9 for sitting in a peace camp in Arrabony village near Jenin, to peacefully protest the confiscation of Palestinian land and the building of an apartheid wall, and:

Daniel Knutsson (SWEDEN)
Alex Perry (UK)
Saul Reid (UK)
Thomas Pellas (FRANCE)
All arrested on Thursday, July 10 for joining Palestinians in removing a roadblock that denies Palestinians the basic right of freedom of movement.



The State of Israel is grasping at straws in its attempt to brandish the ISM illegal. This strategy follows a list of efforts aimed at breaking the phenomena of international solidarity – from slander, denial of entry and deportations (approximately 60 in the last 15 months),to intimidation, physical threats, injury and even death. The Israeli government calls us a “threat to the security of the state”; Our most dangerous weapons are our eyes, ears, mouths and the truth.

For more information, please call:
Huwaida: +972-67-473-308;
Neta: +972-64-405-783
ISM Office: +972-2-277-4602

END

=============================

3) Letter from an Israeli prison cell

The following are notes written by Canadian human-rights activist Tarek
Lubani, hand-written notes smuggled out of his Israeli prison cell, after
having been arrested by Israeli Army for doing humanitarian work with
Palestinians in a camp near Jenin:

July 10 2003 - 4 months 11 days for the man with ten kids who was charged
with driving a stolen car. Day 2 for me. It's easy to remain positive when I
know that friends and lawyers and perfect strangers all care about me being
released. The longest I'll stay is a few days or weeks. Palestinian
prisoners are some of the most easily forgotten victims of the illegal
Israeli occupation - out of sight, out of mind.

The man of 4 months and 11 days is forgotten by all but his family. What
does he share with them anymore? Nothing but memories.

10 July 2003 - Today, we woke up to the harsh flourescent 24-hour lights in
our prison cell. The light did not invite any of us to life. Nor did the
cold damp surroundings. We were not resting in our sleep but we were too
tired to be awake. The guards shrill screaming woke us finally, having to
bury through unconsciousness and lethargy in turn.

We were greeted with handcuffs and leg shackles before we got into a 1mX1.5m
compartment of a transporter. The four of us tried to be comfortable on
the tiny bench, but met only limited success. The time was 9:30 AM. Eight
and a half hours later, I barely remembered what movement without shackles
and handcuffs was like. We requested food for 2 hours before we finally got
some pastries, coca-cola and water. We requested our attornies no less than
a hundred times each. We refused to sign at least 2 Hebrew-only documents
and one English document.

Just before 6 PM we finally saw a lawyer. 30 hours had passed since our
original arrest. The lawyers were a breath of fresh air. They documented the
abuses against us and told us what would happen next. Their patience was
amazing. As predicted, the judge declared that she had no jurisdiction but
would grant an injuction against our immediate deportation. Lots of good
that will do! The government has constantly broken these injuctions and
illegally deported internationals. Still, it was a victory of sorts. Now we
sit back in Ariel, awaiting what comes next.

10 July 2003 - "A whole lotta of love!" He finally found a radio station he
liked and returned his hand from the dial while screaming along at the top
of his lungs. Now this was driving music. Zeppelin at their best. The van
barreled along at 150 km/h accelerating with the tempo of the Zeppelin. Oh
God. The part where the music screams, and he's screaming and going even
faster. In most other countries in the world, it would be a problem that he
had 4 shackled prisoners in the back seat and his police lights flashing. "A
whole lotta of love" Yoki (Jacob) could do this because he had three stars
on his shoulder. That made him the big man. Three stars allows you a lot of
privilege. When Tobias wouldn't hand over his passport, it was Yoki who
started beating him and nealy broke his arm. When I wouldn't sign
Hebrew-only papers without my lawyer, it was Yoki who said "When you mess
with me, you lose". As he drove like a madman, Yoki had our lives in his
hands, and we couldn't say a word. To say anything would have meant
punishment - no food, no blankets, no paper. Any one of these things. Maybe
all of them. And yet, Yoki remains completely unaccountable. He is part of a
system that promoted him, because of his childishness and instability, not
despite it. Nobody here talks about the man with three stars. To do so is to
subject oneself to a new world of pain. I can't help but wonder: If Yoki
beat us like this, what does he do to Palestinians who have virtually no
recourse to the brutality?
===================================

4) Notes from jail
(The following notes were passed to us during the hearing)



Behind these walls, I am finally free, for it is the just fight, and I am at peace. – Tarek Loubani

I’ll do my best to see ya all soon. Keep up the good work. All is well with me. No worries. – Tobias Karlsson

I know that whatever happens I will have justice on my side. Maybe the laws of this state are not with me, but they are shadowed by human morality. – Fredrick Lind

Hello all –
Free Palestine!
See you all soon!
- Bill Capowski



****
From: "Gush Shalom (Israeli Peace Bloc)" <info@gush-shalom.org>
Subject: [GushShalom] No bail after all - please send your protest to the Minister
Date: Sun, 13 Jul 2003 20:50:40 +0200
https://mailman.gush-shalom.org/pipermail/gush-shalom-intl/2003/000338.html

Dear friends.

Sorry for clogging your mailbox, but we just heard from Adv Shammai
Leibowitz that the 8 imprisoned ISMers were NOT released on bail -
the prosecution, representing the state, being adamant on depicting
them as "great dangers to state security.".

background in our earlier mails:

https://mailman.gush-shalom.org/pipermail/gush-shalom-intl/2003/000335.html

https://mailman.gush-shalom.org/pipermail/gush-shalom-press/2003/000387.html

Here comes what you can do:

Send a protest to:

The Honorable Mr. Abraham Poraz
Minister of Interior
By Facsimile: 972-2-5666376

Dear Sir,

Re: Imprisonment of 8 human rights activists

I have been informed that your office has ordered the arrest and
deportation of eight international human rights activists, who are now
incarcerated in Ariel Police Station, where they have been detained
since July 10 without any charges filed against them.

I kindly request you to release the eight human rights activists
from their prison cell. I kindly request you to cancel any deportation
proceedings being conducted against them. From the information we
have gathered from them and their lawyers, they were arrested solely
for doing humanitarian work in the West Bank, notwithstanding the
fact they were not involved in any violent action.

We are very much concerned about the imprisonment and deportation
of international humanitarian activists. It has been seen, time and
again, that the presence of an international observer subdues, if only
slightly, what is often the aggressive behavior of occupation soldiers
and settlers against Palestinian civilians.

Deporting non-violent human-rights activists can only give ammunition
to those who seek to ridicule and undermine the State of Israel.

I would kindly ask you to inform me of your decision, and will continue
to follow developments regarding this case.


yours faithfully

--------------------------

copies:
Attorney General Elyakim Rubinstein, by Fax 972-2-6274481

Important:
After sending fax, confirm arrival of fax by the following numbers:
Ministry of Interior - 972-2-6701402
Attorney General - 972-2-6466521


****
From: "Gush Shalom (Israeli Peace Bloc)" <info@gush-shalom.org>
Subject: [GushShalom] Gush ad // Avnery's on bi-national state // reminder+update
Date: Sun, 13 Jul 2003 17:28:01 +0200
https://mailman.gush-shalom.org/pipermail/gush-shalom-intl/2003/000337.html

[...]

--Today, internationals on the way to bail

The appeal proceeding against deportations of the 8 ISMers lasted very
short. The judge seemed surprised to see there 4 defence lawyers
(Gabi Laski, Shammai Leibowitz, Yonni Lerman and Leah Tzemel), a
very crowded courtroom and quite some obvious media people.

The judge immediately started with a very pointed suggestion to the state
representatives to settle about bail terms until the evening.
Representatives of New Profile and Gush Shalom as well as individual activists
offered to help with posting the bail.
For info about ISM's actions - http://www.palsolidarity.org

www.palsolidarity.org