17 apr 2014
By Fedaa al-Qedra
The Palestinian media have always been a tool to expose the real scenes of the Israeli occupation, its crimes against the Palestinian people and the violations, especially against prisoners in Israeli colonial prisons.
In the light of this, some questions emerge; Do Palestinian media give adequate coverage to the issue of prisoners?, And whether the Palestinian media are moving on with an organized plan or randomly?
Head of the Government Information Office Ihab al-Ghussein affirmed that the Palestinian media is delinquent in the prisoners' issue and do not have enough specialized outlets focusing on the prisoners. The already existed media do not allocate sufficient content for the way in which the prisoners' issues are presented.
Al-Ghussein told ALRAY that "it is necessary and very important to find specialized media at the Palestinian level and develop an integrated national media mechanism to support the prisoners in the Israeli occupation prisons."
Al-Ghussein called on Palestinian journalists and their media institutions to highlight the issue of prisoners extensively and in a specialized way through their different media outlets. "It is necessary to keep the issue present permanently in the media." He added.
He pointed out that "Palestinian media cover the prisoners' issue occasionally and only when something related to the prisoners breaks out. An issue of national consensus, Al-Ghussein urged everybody to take their responsibility toward the prisoners' issue.
Al-Ghussein stressed the need to hold workshops to identify a unified strategic plan among different media means to shed light on all aspects of this case, because the Palestinian media deal with the issue of prisoners as a reaction that vanishes at the end of the event, which might be the death of a prisoner, for instance.
"One hand doesn't clap"
For his part, the head of Palestinian Media Forum, Imad al-Efranji, said that the Palestinian media address the prisoners issue in various events despite the lack of its capabilities. However, he called for more efforts to highlight the issue.
In an interview with ALRAY, he explained that the media are able to shed more light on the issue of prisoners and make it a global issue, demanding the journalists to unify their efforts with politicians and decision-makers to support the prisoners' issue through a united, comprehensive national strategy. "one hand does not clap," he said.
He urged all media operating in Palestine to support the issue of prisoners and address their news mainly in their coverage.
A progress …but!
Mohammed Mardawi, a journalist and a former prisoner, said that the Palestinian media are dealing with the prisoners' issue better than the past. However, this way of coverage is unsouitable for the future
"Journalists must turn numbers and facts into visual media pieces to gain the solidarity of general and international opinion with Palestinian prisoners," Mardawi explained.
He noted that the Palestinian media don’t create an event. Instead, Palestinian news organizations allocate coverage for the prisoners only when one of them dies or when they go on hunger strike. "
"If Israel has these numbers or facts, it would show them on the form of many documentaries."
Making a breakthrough
Director of Al Mezan Center for Human Rights Issam Younis said that the issue of Palestinian prisoners is one of those phenomena that deserve to be considered and analyzed, and also require every Palestinian to show respect for their noble sacrifices, and do more efforts to support them.
In an interview with ALRAY, he said that media have an important role in serving the different issues. As the debate is focused on a conflict, says Younis, we, the Palestinians, "should rise in our tools to the level that allows us to present our issues in the way they deserve." He added that the tools the Palestinians use should be able to confront the tools that their enemies are using against them. He said that Israel deceives the world via lies that showcase the hangman as the victim.
He stressed on the need of having a specialized and skillful media to serve the prisoners' issue and send their voice to the international community and not just work on the Palestinian arena.
The Prisoners' issue witnesses a growing interaction by the Palestinian media, which aims at boosting Palestinian, Arab and international solidarity with the prisoners in Israeli jails.
The Palestinian media need to focus more on the prisoners' issue and their human suffering, particularly showing individual stories to highlight the humanitarian side of their cases, according to observers, who also think that there should be a qualitative and creative move in dealing with the prisoners' issues.
The Palestinian media have always been a tool to expose the real scenes of the Israeli occupation, its crimes against the Palestinian people and the violations, especially against prisoners in Israeli colonial prisons.
In the light of this, some questions emerge; Do Palestinian media give adequate coverage to the issue of prisoners?, And whether the Palestinian media are moving on with an organized plan or randomly?
Head of the Government Information Office Ihab al-Ghussein affirmed that the Palestinian media is delinquent in the prisoners' issue and do not have enough specialized outlets focusing on the prisoners. The already existed media do not allocate sufficient content for the way in which the prisoners' issues are presented.
Al-Ghussein told ALRAY that "it is necessary and very important to find specialized media at the Palestinian level and develop an integrated national media mechanism to support the prisoners in the Israeli occupation prisons."
Al-Ghussein called on Palestinian journalists and their media institutions to highlight the issue of prisoners extensively and in a specialized way through their different media outlets. "It is necessary to keep the issue present permanently in the media." He added.
He pointed out that "Palestinian media cover the prisoners' issue occasionally and only when something related to the prisoners breaks out. An issue of national consensus, Al-Ghussein urged everybody to take their responsibility toward the prisoners' issue.
Al-Ghussein stressed the need to hold workshops to identify a unified strategic plan among different media means to shed light on all aspects of this case, because the Palestinian media deal with the issue of prisoners as a reaction that vanishes at the end of the event, which might be the death of a prisoner, for instance.
"One hand doesn't clap"
For his part, the head of Palestinian Media Forum, Imad al-Efranji, said that the Palestinian media address the prisoners issue in various events despite the lack of its capabilities. However, he called for more efforts to highlight the issue.
In an interview with ALRAY, he explained that the media are able to shed more light on the issue of prisoners and make it a global issue, demanding the journalists to unify their efforts with politicians and decision-makers to support the prisoners' issue through a united, comprehensive national strategy. "one hand does not clap," he said.
He urged all media operating in Palestine to support the issue of prisoners and address their news mainly in their coverage.
A progress …but!
Mohammed Mardawi, a journalist and a former prisoner, said that the Palestinian media are dealing with the prisoners' issue better than the past. However, this way of coverage is unsouitable for the future
"Journalists must turn numbers and facts into visual media pieces to gain the solidarity of general and international opinion with Palestinian prisoners," Mardawi explained.
He noted that the Palestinian media don’t create an event. Instead, Palestinian news organizations allocate coverage for the prisoners only when one of them dies or when they go on hunger strike. "
"If Israel has these numbers or facts, it would show them on the form of many documentaries."
Making a breakthrough
Director of Al Mezan Center for Human Rights Issam Younis said that the issue of Palestinian prisoners is one of those phenomena that deserve to be considered and analyzed, and also require every Palestinian to show respect for their noble sacrifices, and do more efforts to support them.
In an interview with ALRAY, he said that media have an important role in serving the different issues. As the debate is focused on a conflict, says Younis, we, the Palestinians, "should rise in our tools to the level that allows us to present our issues in the way they deserve." He added that the tools the Palestinians use should be able to confront the tools that their enemies are using against them. He said that Israel deceives the world via lies that showcase the hangman as the victim.
He stressed on the need of having a specialized and skillful media to serve the prisoners' issue and send their voice to the international community and not just work on the Palestinian arena.
The Prisoners' issue witnesses a growing interaction by the Palestinian media, which aims at boosting Palestinian, Arab and international solidarity with the prisoners in Israeli jails.
The Palestinian media need to focus more on the prisoners' issue and their human suffering, particularly showing individual stories to highlight the humanitarian side of their cases, according to observers, who also think that there should be a qualitative and creative move in dealing with the prisoners' issues.
16 apr 2014
The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) condemns the threats and punitive measures taken against journalist Orouba Othman. Othman was working at Alray Press Agency which belongs to Hamas government, and she published a report in The Lebanese Al-Akhbar newspaper on how officers in the security services in the Gaza Strip deliver Friday prayers sermons while in their military uniforms.
Othman reported to MADA that on 3rd April 2014 "I published my report titled "Gaza's security officers are preachers in Gaza's mosques" in The Lebanese Al-Akhbar newspaper, then Iyad Albazam the Spokesman of the Hamas Ministry of Interior posted on his facebook that " the report is full of lies", then I was exposed to libel allegations against me as well as threatening letters sent to my facebook, and someone called "Raed Abu Jarad" from the Ministry of Interior who commented on a post I made on facebook saying that I "spit in the plate I eat from" because I work as part of a project in the Government media center, as well as other threats by anonymous people".
Othman added: "In response to the report, I was informed by the Legal Affairs that my contract at the government media center will not be renewed, which is considered punitive procedures against me, and the Ministry of Interior submitted a complaint against me and that there will be a law suit against me by the public prosecutor". She mentioned that The Lebanese Al-Akhbar newspaper had published a clarification that the introduction to the report which says (slowly fascism makes its way to Gaza, after a number of bizarre laws imposed by Hamas ......) was added by the editor of newspaper.
MADA confirms its rejection of the penalties or taken action against journalists and citizens for expressing their opinions, and demands an end to the proceedings against journalist Orouba Othman, especially that the Lebanese Al-Akhbar newspaper has already explained that the introduction to the report, which mentioned the "fascist" was added by the editor.
Othman reported to MADA that on 3rd April 2014 "I published my report titled "Gaza's security officers are preachers in Gaza's mosques" in The Lebanese Al-Akhbar newspaper, then Iyad Albazam the Spokesman of the Hamas Ministry of Interior posted on his facebook that " the report is full of lies", then I was exposed to libel allegations against me as well as threatening letters sent to my facebook, and someone called "Raed Abu Jarad" from the Ministry of Interior who commented on a post I made on facebook saying that I "spit in the plate I eat from" because I work as part of a project in the Government media center, as well as other threats by anonymous people".
Othman added: "In response to the report, I was informed by the Legal Affairs that my contract at the government media center will not be renewed, which is considered punitive procedures against me, and the Ministry of Interior submitted a complaint against me and that there will be a law suit against me by the public prosecutor". She mentioned that The Lebanese Al-Akhbar newspaper had published a clarification that the introduction to the report which says (slowly fascism makes its way to Gaza, after a number of bizarre laws imposed by Hamas ......) was added by the editor of newspaper.
MADA confirms its rejection of the penalties or taken action against journalists and citizens for expressing their opinions, and demands an end to the proceedings against journalist Orouba Othman, especially that the Lebanese Al-Akhbar newspaper has already explained that the introduction to the report, which mentioned the "fascist" was added by the editor.
15 apr 2014
A Palestinian march organized on Monday has managed to break a security cordon imposed by Israeli occupation forces (IOF) on Nabi Saleh village northern Ramallah for three days. Dozens of Palestinians and foreign activists have managed to reach the southern gate of Nabi Saleh village in spite of the IOF military restrictions and tear gas bombs. A Palestinian young man was arrested, and many protesters, including women, were injured after being sprayed with pepper spray.
Eyewitness told the PIC reporter that Israeli forces prevented vehicles and journalists from having access to the village, where three journalists were detained before being forced to leave the scene after the confiscation of their equipment and cars.
Meanwhile, journalists who have managed to enter the village were brutally attacked by IOF soldiers and beaten.
The participants maintained presence at the main street in the village despite Israeli heavy fire of tear gas bombs.
For his part, head of Popular Resistance Movement in Nabi Saleh village Bassem al-Tamimi said that this protest was meant to display the Palestinian people's adherence to resistance option, calling for activating resistance throughout occupied West Bank.
Occupation arrests Palestinian in Jenin, detains journalistic crew in Ramallah
Occupation colonial forces arrested Monday a Palestinian youth from al-Yamoun, west of Jenin, and detained journalistic crew at the entrance of Nabi Saleh village, north-west of Ramallah.
The forces are still imposing a tighten siege on Nabi Saleh village for the third day in a row.
Local sources said that Israeli forces arrested Islam Abu al-Haija,20, after raiding and searching his family’s house in al-Yamoun town.
The forces stormed Ya’bod town in Jenin and erected a military checkpoint at its entrance. The soldiers started stopping and searching the Palestinian vehicles.
Media sources said that Israeli occupation forces detained journalist Yazan Taha and photographer Hozaifa Soror for an hour before releasing them. The forces are still detaining taxi driver , Fadi Kifaya, who accompanied them in addition to his car and photographing stuff.
The forces detained and assaulted Sunday another journalistic crew before releasing them.
Israeli occupation forces routinely carry out arrest raids in the West Bank. Around 40 percent of Palestinian men living in the occupied territories have been detained by Israel at some point in their lives.
Eyewitness told the PIC reporter that Israeli forces prevented vehicles and journalists from having access to the village, where three journalists were detained before being forced to leave the scene after the confiscation of their equipment and cars.
Meanwhile, journalists who have managed to enter the village were brutally attacked by IOF soldiers and beaten.
The participants maintained presence at the main street in the village despite Israeli heavy fire of tear gas bombs.
For his part, head of Popular Resistance Movement in Nabi Saleh village Bassem al-Tamimi said that this protest was meant to display the Palestinian people's adherence to resistance option, calling for activating resistance throughout occupied West Bank.
Occupation arrests Palestinian in Jenin, detains journalistic crew in Ramallah
Occupation colonial forces arrested Monday a Palestinian youth from al-Yamoun, west of Jenin, and detained journalistic crew at the entrance of Nabi Saleh village, north-west of Ramallah.
The forces are still imposing a tighten siege on Nabi Saleh village for the third day in a row.
Local sources said that Israeli forces arrested Islam Abu al-Haija,20, after raiding and searching his family’s house in al-Yamoun town.
The forces stormed Ya’bod town in Jenin and erected a military checkpoint at its entrance. The soldiers started stopping and searching the Palestinian vehicles.
Media sources said that Israeli occupation forces detained journalist Yazan Taha and photographer Hozaifa Soror for an hour before releasing them. The forces are still detaining taxi driver , Fadi Kifaya, who accompanied them in addition to his car and photographing stuff.
The forces detained and assaulted Sunday another journalistic crew before releasing them.
Israeli occupation forces routinely carry out arrest raids in the West Bank. Around 40 percent of Palestinian men living in the occupied territories have been detained by Israel at some point in their lives.
14 apr 2014
Gaza cabinet members on Monday announced plans to launch a government-run satellite channel, the cabinet said in a statement.
The channel -- which will be affiliated to Gaza's public information office -- is to be called "al-Raay," meaning "the Opinion" in English.
According to the statement, the decision was made during a weekly cabinet meeting.
The Hamas movement launched its official satellite channel, Al-Aqsa TV, in 2006. Al-Raay will be the first satellite channel run by the Gaza government more specifically.
Hamas was founded in 1987 as an offshoot of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamist movement.
Gaza's Hamas-run government has been in charge of the impoverished coastal Strip since 2007, following a week of fighting between Hamas and its rival Palestinian faction, Fatah.
The channel -- which will be affiliated to Gaza's public information office -- is to be called "al-Raay," meaning "the Opinion" in English.
According to the statement, the decision was made during a weekly cabinet meeting.
The Hamas movement launched its official satellite channel, Al-Aqsa TV, in 2006. Al-Raay will be the first satellite channel run by the Gaza government more specifically.
Hamas was founded in 1987 as an offshoot of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamist movement.
Gaza's Hamas-run government has been in charge of the impoverished coastal Strip since 2007, following a week of fighting between Hamas and its rival Palestinian faction, Fatah.
Majd Kayyal arrested and held incommunicado after his return from Lebanon.
Israel has arrested and placed in incommunicado detention the journalist and researcher Majd Kayyal, a Palestinian citizen of Israel.
The Electronic Intifada has obtained the closed court transcript and gag order – which Israeli media are strictly forbidden from publishing – extending the detention and interrogation of 23-year-old Kayyal under the auspices of the Shin Bet (also known as Shabak), Israel’s secret police.
The original document and a full translation are available below.
According to the court document, Kayyal is being investigated for suspicion of “unlawful travel to Arab countries” and “contact with a foreign agent.”
These are, according to the attorney representing Shin Bet, “serious offenses against the security of the state.”
These kinds of accusations are habitually used by Israel’s secret police to target and silence Palestinian citizens of Israel who are active in exposing and challenging Israel’s racist and undemocratic laws and practices.
As well as being a journalist, Kayyal is a web editor at Adalah, a legal advocacy organization for Palestinian citizens of Israel.
Kayyal also participated in November 2011 flotilla attempting to break Israel’s maritime siege of Gaza. The flotilla, in which dozens of journalists and activists took part, was intercepted by Israeli forces.
Adalah has previously told the United Nations [PDF] that the restrictions Israel imposes on Palestinian citizens’ travel to and meeting people from other Arab countries – so-called “enemy states” – are part of a policy that “seeks to impose severe limitations on social, cultural and religious ties between … Palestinian citizens of Israel” and the “wider Arab and Muslim nations.”
Arrested Adalah announced on its Facebook page that Kayyal was arrested on Saturday evening at the Sheikh Hussein crossing on the Israeli-Jordanian border.
However an attorney representing the Shin Bet said at a closed court hearing today that Kayyal had been arrested at his home in Haifa.
The news website Arabs 48 published on Facebook the mobile phone photo at the top of this post showing Kayyal as he was being arrested.
Kayyal “was returning from a conference he independently attended to mark the 40th anniversary of the As-Safir newspaper in Beirut, Lebanon,” Adalah said.
Kayyal has frequently written for As-Safir and wrote about his trip to Beirut – his first ever – for the website Jadaliyya.
Kayyal considered his visit to Beirut a dream come true and posted images of himself in the Lebanese capital on his Facebook page.
Adalah noted that its lawyers “attempted to visit Kayyal at the detention camp, but the police issued an order preventing him from meeting with a lawyer.”
Closed hearing On Sunday morning in a closed hearing, Israeli police asked a judge to extend Kayyal’s detention for 15 days, the maximum allowed under the law.
The judge Zayed Falah, a former military prosecutor, extended Kayyal’s detention until 22 April and imposed a total ban on media reporting about Kayyal’s arrest or detention. The judge also decreed that all court proceedings would be closed.
Falah also upheld the ban on Kayyal meeting with lawyers during his detention. Such bans can be extended for 48 hours at a time.
During the hearing, an attorney for Kayyal – who had not been allowed to meet Kayyal – questioned the police attorney regarding Kayyal’s detention.
The police attorney refused to provide details of the supposed evidence against Kayyal, stating that details were in a secret report provided to the judge. The police attorney said Shin Bet had yet to carry out most of its investigations.
Kayyal’s lawyer said that “prohibiting a meeting with an attorney is a gross violation of the suspect’s basic rights.”
Kayyal himself was then brought into the courtroom at which point his family and attorney had to leave the room. According to the court transcript, Kayyal stated:
I ask to be told the names of the attorneys and the court gave me their names. The court has explained to me about the prohibition from meeting attorneys until 14 April 2014, at midnight, and told me that the hearing was held in the presence of my attorneys, who asked the representative of the police questions. The court has explained to me that my father, mother and brother were present in the courtroom. I have nothing further to add.
The full court transcript, which the Israeli public are forbidden from seeing, translated by Dena Shunra, is published below.
Note: The Electronic Intifada has redacted the home address of Kayyal from the court transcript and from the translation.
Translation of court transcript [Seal of the State of Israel]
At the Magistrate’s Court in Haifa
13 April 2013
Days of Arrest 23318-04-14 Central Unit vs. Kayyal
Before the honorable justice Dr. Zayed Falah
Petitioner: Police Central Unit Versus Suspect Majd Kayyal
Present
Attorney for the Petitioner
Restates the content of the petition. Presents the investigative file to the court for perusal. Presents secret material.
Attorney for the Petitioner, in response to questions from the attorney for the suspects:
Q: Are you informed about all the investigative actions taken to date:
A: No.
Q: Have you given the court all the investigative material that has already been collected?
A: Indeed.
Q: Does the material presented to the Court include investigative memoranda and investigative actions that have already been done?
A: Yes.
Q: Have you also conveyed all of the actions that are yet to be taken?
A: Yes.
Q: At what stage is the investigation?
A: The investigation is still at its very beginning. The suspect was only arrested yesterday. According to the material that was found, he is expected to be investigated a few more times and the full future plan is before the court. I cannot commit myself to the number of investigations because I am not an investigator.
Q: What is the suspect suspected of?
A: What appears in the warrant. Contact with a foreign agent, leaving the country unlawfully.
Q: Is there a version for the suspicions?
A: {it is] all before the court. I have not investigated him and I will not investigate him. It’s all by the Security Service [Shabak].
Q: About the foreign agent crime - is it known who he is?
A: I cannot specify. It is all in the secret report.
Q: What are the circumstances of the contact with the agent?
A: It’s indicated in the secret report. As to dates – there is no exact date, everything is in the secret report.
Q: About the two suspicions – are they related?
A: I think so.
Q: Did the contact with the foreign agent happen while he was carrying out the second offense?
A: The investigation is being performed by the security services. All the material is before the court, for perusal. I cannot specify beyond this.
Q: An order restraining a meeting with an attorney at 8. The arrest warrant was issued at 9:30. Explain the gap.
A: It’s a technical computer transaction, [it took] until we took out the computer. He was arrested yesterday evening. He was apprehended at 19:50 hours. This restraining order is under the responsibility of the security entities.
Q: In the matter of the order – did you explain the suspect that he is prohibited from meeting an attorney?
A: I did not review the content of the warning because the security service did the investigation. All the material is before the court and there is a secret report attached. The security services could not appear in court, and that is why I am here.
Q: Did he wish to give a message to his relatives?
A: I know that there was contact with his relatives. He was informed that he is under arrest. Beyond that I have no idea.
Q: Did you inform one of his relatives that he is restrained from contacting an attorney?
A: I have no answer about that. It is in the investigative material.
Q: Was the suspect investigated about one event or about several events?
A: All the material is before the court, all the actions taken from the moment he was arrested to this day. I cannot confirm the number of events.
Q: Can you confirm that the suspect cooperated in his interrogation and answered all the questions?
A: I have not reviewed what was investigated and asked. I was asked to come [here] for extension of the detention. The security services continue their investigation. All the material is before the court.
Q: How many investigative activities did you do yesterday?
A: A preliminary investigation and a continuation today. I don’t know how many investigations were done yesterday. There was a preliminary investigation.
Q: Explain why you are asking for 15 days of detention?
A: These are serious offenses against the security of the state and there is material to be investigated.
Q: Are there details of all 15 days that require his continued detention, in the form of a work plan?
A: There are not specific details of each stage and what is done every day. The actions that are detailed could change, because they are dynamic. They cannot be done when he is discharged. The suspect was arrested at his home in Haifa.
Q: Was the search performed in one house or two?
A: The material is in the investigative file.
Q: Did you have a search warrant?
A: Yes. I know about the search warrant at the up-to-date address, which the Israel Police has. I know one address, [REDACTED] Street.
Q: Did you issue search warrants to two addresses?
A: I issued a search warrant for [REDACTED] Street, which is his address, as recorded in his personal ID card.
Q: Confirm that the suspect has no criminal record.
A: I did not examine his criminal record.
The attorney for the petitioner summarizes:
I repeat the petition. I ask that it be fully granted.
The attorney for the suspect summarizes:
This is a 23-year old journalist, with no criminal record, who was apparently apprehended on the Israel/Jordan border. Since his arrest he has not been permitted to consult an attorney. No notice was given to his attorney and/or his family to visit him in his detention nor with regard to the prohibition on his meeting an attorney. As you know, and it is decided law, that prohibiting a meeting with an attorney is a gross violation of the suspect’s basic rights. I ask the court to take this into account and examine how many actions are required when the suspect is under arrest. I ask that he be released immediately. Alternatively, that he be released under conditions. As another alternative, that the number of days required under detention be reduced.
The suspect is brought into the courtroom, his family and attorney leave the room.
The suspect:
I ask to be told the names of the attorneys and the court gave me their names. The court has explained to me about the prohibition from meeting attorneys until 14 April 2014, at midnight, and told me that the hearing was held in the presence of my attorneys, who asked the representative of the police questions. The court has explained to me that my father, mother and brother were present in the courtroom. I have nothing further to add.
Decision
Handed down and informed today, 13 Nissan 5774, 13 April 2014, in the presence of those persons present.
[signature]
Dr. Zayed Falah, Judge
[END]
Original court document
Israel has arrested and placed in incommunicado detention the journalist and researcher Majd Kayyal, a Palestinian citizen of Israel.
The Electronic Intifada has obtained the closed court transcript and gag order – which Israeli media are strictly forbidden from publishing – extending the detention and interrogation of 23-year-old Kayyal under the auspices of the Shin Bet (also known as Shabak), Israel’s secret police.
The original document and a full translation are available below.
According to the court document, Kayyal is being investigated for suspicion of “unlawful travel to Arab countries” and “contact with a foreign agent.”
These are, according to the attorney representing Shin Bet, “serious offenses against the security of the state.”
These kinds of accusations are habitually used by Israel’s secret police to target and silence Palestinian citizens of Israel who are active in exposing and challenging Israel’s racist and undemocratic laws and practices.
As well as being a journalist, Kayyal is a web editor at Adalah, a legal advocacy organization for Palestinian citizens of Israel.
Kayyal also participated in November 2011 flotilla attempting to break Israel’s maritime siege of Gaza. The flotilla, in which dozens of journalists and activists took part, was intercepted by Israeli forces.
Adalah has previously told the United Nations [PDF] that the restrictions Israel imposes on Palestinian citizens’ travel to and meeting people from other Arab countries – so-called “enemy states” – are part of a policy that “seeks to impose severe limitations on social, cultural and religious ties between … Palestinian citizens of Israel” and the “wider Arab and Muslim nations.”
Arrested Adalah announced on its Facebook page that Kayyal was arrested on Saturday evening at the Sheikh Hussein crossing on the Israeli-Jordanian border.
However an attorney representing the Shin Bet said at a closed court hearing today that Kayyal had been arrested at his home in Haifa.
The news website Arabs 48 published on Facebook the mobile phone photo at the top of this post showing Kayyal as he was being arrested.
Kayyal “was returning from a conference he independently attended to mark the 40th anniversary of the As-Safir newspaper in Beirut, Lebanon,” Adalah said.
Kayyal has frequently written for As-Safir and wrote about his trip to Beirut – his first ever – for the website Jadaliyya.
Kayyal considered his visit to Beirut a dream come true and posted images of himself in the Lebanese capital on his Facebook page.
Adalah noted that its lawyers “attempted to visit Kayyal at the detention camp, but the police issued an order preventing him from meeting with a lawyer.”
Closed hearing On Sunday morning in a closed hearing, Israeli police asked a judge to extend Kayyal’s detention for 15 days, the maximum allowed under the law.
The judge Zayed Falah, a former military prosecutor, extended Kayyal’s detention until 22 April and imposed a total ban on media reporting about Kayyal’s arrest or detention. The judge also decreed that all court proceedings would be closed.
Falah also upheld the ban on Kayyal meeting with lawyers during his detention. Such bans can be extended for 48 hours at a time.
During the hearing, an attorney for Kayyal – who had not been allowed to meet Kayyal – questioned the police attorney regarding Kayyal’s detention.
The police attorney refused to provide details of the supposed evidence against Kayyal, stating that details were in a secret report provided to the judge. The police attorney said Shin Bet had yet to carry out most of its investigations.
Kayyal’s lawyer said that “prohibiting a meeting with an attorney is a gross violation of the suspect’s basic rights.”
Kayyal himself was then brought into the courtroom at which point his family and attorney had to leave the room. According to the court transcript, Kayyal stated:
I ask to be told the names of the attorneys and the court gave me their names. The court has explained to me about the prohibition from meeting attorneys until 14 April 2014, at midnight, and told me that the hearing was held in the presence of my attorneys, who asked the representative of the police questions. The court has explained to me that my father, mother and brother were present in the courtroom. I have nothing further to add.
The full court transcript, which the Israeli public are forbidden from seeing, translated by Dena Shunra, is published below.
Note: The Electronic Intifada has redacted the home address of Kayyal from the court transcript and from the translation.
Translation of court transcript [Seal of the State of Israel]
At the Magistrate’s Court in Haifa
13 April 2013
Days of Arrest 23318-04-14 Central Unit vs. Kayyal
Before the honorable justice Dr. Zayed Falah
Petitioner: Police Central Unit Versus Suspect Majd Kayyal
Present
- Attorney for the petitioner – Warrant Officer Marcel Daman
- Attorney for the suspect – Adv. Aram Mahamid and Adv. Fadi Khouri
- Suspect – no appearance (he is brought into the court after the interrogation by the attorney for the suspect and the summaries)
- Relatives of the suspect – his father, brother and mother
Attorney for the Petitioner
Restates the content of the petition. Presents the investigative file to the court for perusal. Presents secret material.
Attorney for the Petitioner, in response to questions from the attorney for the suspects:
Q: Are you informed about all the investigative actions taken to date:
A: No.
Q: Have you given the court all the investigative material that has already been collected?
A: Indeed.
Q: Does the material presented to the Court include investigative memoranda and investigative actions that have already been done?
A: Yes.
Q: Have you also conveyed all of the actions that are yet to be taken?
A: Yes.
Q: At what stage is the investigation?
A: The investigation is still at its very beginning. The suspect was only arrested yesterday. According to the material that was found, he is expected to be investigated a few more times and the full future plan is before the court. I cannot commit myself to the number of investigations because I am not an investigator.
Q: What is the suspect suspected of?
A: What appears in the warrant. Contact with a foreign agent, leaving the country unlawfully.
Q: Is there a version for the suspicions?
A: {it is] all before the court. I have not investigated him and I will not investigate him. It’s all by the Security Service [Shabak].
Q: About the foreign agent crime - is it known who he is?
A: I cannot specify. It is all in the secret report.
Q: What are the circumstances of the contact with the agent?
A: It’s indicated in the secret report. As to dates – there is no exact date, everything is in the secret report.
Q: About the two suspicions – are they related?
A: I think so.
Q: Did the contact with the foreign agent happen while he was carrying out the second offense?
A: The investigation is being performed by the security services. All the material is before the court, for perusal. I cannot specify beyond this.
Q: An order restraining a meeting with an attorney at 8. The arrest warrant was issued at 9:30. Explain the gap.
A: It’s a technical computer transaction, [it took] until we took out the computer. He was arrested yesterday evening. He was apprehended at 19:50 hours. This restraining order is under the responsibility of the security entities.
Q: In the matter of the order – did you explain the suspect that he is prohibited from meeting an attorney?
A: I did not review the content of the warning because the security service did the investigation. All the material is before the court and there is a secret report attached. The security services could not appear in court, and that is why I am here.
Q: Did he wish to give a message to his relatives?
A: I know that there was contact with his relatives. He was informed that he is under arrest. Beyond that I have no idea.
Q: Did you inform one of his relatives that he is restrained from contacting an attorney?
A: I have no answer about that. It is in the investigative material.
Q: Was the suspect investigated about one event or about several events?
A: All the material is before the court, all the actions taken from the moment he was arrested to this day. I cannot confirm the number of events.
Q: Can you confirm that the suspect cooperated in his interrogation and answered all the questions?
A: I have not reviewed what was investigated and asked. I was asked to come [here] for extension of the detention. The security services continue their investigation. All the material is before the court.
Q: How many investigative activities did you do yesterday?
A: A preliminary investigation and a continuation today. I don’t know how many investigations were done yesterday. There was a preliminary investigation.
Q: Explain why you are asking for 15 days of detention?
A: These are serious offenses against the security of the state and there is material to be investigated.
Q: Are there details of all 15 days that require his continued detention, in the form of a work plan?
A: There are not specific details of each stage and what is done every day. The actions that are detailed could change, because they are dynamic. They cannot be done when he is discharged. The suspect was arrested at his home in Haifa.
Q: Was the search performed in one house or two?
A: The material is in the investigative file.
Q: Did you have a search warrant?
A: Yes. I know about the search warrant at the up-to-date address, which the Israel Police has. I know one address, [REDACTED] Street.
Q: Did you issue search warrants to two addresses?
A: I issued a search warrant for [REDACTED] Street, which is his address, as recorded in his personal ID card.
Q: Confirm that the suspect has no criminal record.
A: I did not examine his criminal record.
The attorney for the petitioner summarizes:
I repeat the petition. I ask that it be fully granted.
The attorney for the suspect summarizes:
This is a 23-year old journalist, with no criminal record, who was apparently apprehended on the Israel/Jordan border. Since his arrest he has not been permitted to consult an attorney. No notice was given to his attorney and/or his family to visit him in his detention nor with regard to the prohibition on his meeting an attorney. As you know, and it is decided law, that prohibiting a meeting with an attorney is a gross violation of the suspect’s basic rights. I ask the court to take this into account and examine how many actions are required when the suspect is under arrest. I ask that he be released immediately. Alternatively, that he be released under conditions. As another alternative, that the number of days required under detention be reduced.
The suspect is brought into the courtroom, his family and attorney leave the room.
The suspect:
I ask to be told the names of the attorneys and the court gave me their names. The court has explained to me about the prohibition from meeting attorneys until 14 April 2014, at midnight, and told me that the hearing was held in the presence of my attorneys, who asked the representative of the police questions. The court has explained to me that my father, mother and brother were present in the courtroom. I have nothing further to add.
Decision
- I have before me a request to extend the suspect’s detention for 15 days, due to suspicion of committing the crimes of contact with a foreign agent and unlawful travel to Arab countries.
- I have reviewed the evidentiary material presented to me and have been persuaded that there is reasonable cause to suspect that the suspect has committed the crimes he is charged with. I have also been persuaded that there is the risk that if he is released he could disrupt the investigation and endanger public security.
- I have perused the secret report prepared by the Shabak, which I have marked BM/1. This report includes background, investigative actions taken, and investigative actions that are still required, and I have been persuaded that the security entities must be permitted to complete their investigation fully, to come to the study of the truth.
- I considered the possibility of releasing the suspect for an alternative form of custody and come to the conclusion that at this stage, there is no space for any alternative.
- I have taken into account the fact that an order has been issued to prohibit meeting an attorney and I have also taken into account that the court must be permitted to oversee the investigative actions performed by the security entities, and for this reason I have decided to grant a number of detention days [than those] requested.
- For this reason, I am extending the detention of the suspect until 22 April 2014, at 10am.
- I issue an order prohibiting publication with regard to all proceedings in this case until 22 April 2014 at 10:00 and the proceedings will be held in camera until that date.
Handed down and informed today, 13 Nissan 5774, 13 April 2014, in the presence of those persons present.
[signature]
Dr. Zayed Falah, Judge
[END]
Original court document
13 apr 2014
Palestinian Authority security forces late Saturday assaulted journalists and arrested four youths in Ramallah during a protest against normalization with the Israeli occupation, witnesses said.
Palestinians were protesting against an Indian band scheduled to perform at the Cinematic Ramallah al-Kasaba, the witnesses said.
The band had performed in Tel Aviv days earlier. During the demonstration, Palestinians accused the band of normalization with the Israeli occupation.
PA security forces broke up the protest, assaulting journalists and cameramen and confiscating their cameras, witnesses said.
The forces also arrested Zayd Shuaybi, Fajr Amoud, Amoud Hamayil, and Fadi Quraan.
The ministry of culture initially said it had cancelled two shows the band was schedule to play in Bethlehem and Ramallah. However, at the request of high-profile PA officials, the ministry said it would allow the band to perform.
Palestinians were protesting against an Indian band scheduled to perform at the Cinematic Ramallah al-Kasaba, the witnesses said.
The band had performed in Tel Aviv days earlier. During the demonstration, Palestinians accused the band of normalization with the Israeli occupation.
PA security forces broke up the protest, assaulting journalists and cameramen and confiscating their cameras, witnesses said.
The forces also arrested Zayd Shuaybi, Fajr Amoud, Amoud Hamayil, and Fadi Quraan.
The ministry of culture initially said it had cancelled two shows the band was schedule to play in Bethlehem and Ramallah. However, at the request of high-profile PA officials, the ministry said it would allow the band to perform.
Israeli policemen manning the King Hussein Bridge linking the occupied West Bank to Jordan arrested a journalist on Saturday night while returning from travel abroad.
Israel radio said on Sunday that Majd Kayal, who works with Adala organization’s website in 1948 occupied land, was arrested while returning from travel via King Hussein Bridge.
It said that Majd had attended a conference in Beirut held on the occasion of the 40th inception anniversary of Assafir newspaper.
The radio said that the Israeli police will ask court to extend the remand of Majd for further investigation.
Israel radio said on Sunday that Majd Kayal, who works with Adala organization’s website in 1948 occupied land, was arrested while returning from travel via King Hussein Bridge.
It said that Majd had attended a conference in Beirut held on the occasion of the 40th inception anniversary of Assafir newspaper.
The radio said that the Israeli police will ask court to extend the remand of Majd for further investigation.