On April 15, the Israeli military court in Ofer convened a hearing on the case of imprisoned Palestinian parliamentarian, feminist and leftist political leader Khalida Jarrar, whose case has garnered widespread international support since her arrest on April 2. Jarrar had previously rejected an Israeli order to deport her from her home in Ramallah to Jericho, achieving a victory and the cancellation of the order.
Jarrar had previously been ordered to six months’ administrative detention; the hearing on April 15 was a rescheduling of the prior hearing on April 8, ostensibly to confirm the military order of administrative detention without charge or trial. Instead, on the April 15 hearing, the administrative detention order was confirmed; in addition, the military court leveled 12 entirely political charges against Jarrar, all of them related to her public speeches and political activities and advocacy for Palestinian political prisoners. It must be noted that nearly all Palestinian political parties and organizations, including the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, are banned by the Israeli military occupation, by military order, and membership in those parties, attending public events, engaging in television interviews or giving public speeches may be prosecuted by the Israeli military occupation.
The military court hearing was attended by representatives of the European Union, the Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland, the International Association of Democratic Lawyers, and Amnesty International, in addition to other observer lawyers. “We were surprised by the prosecution, which explicitly said last week there were no grounds to detain her until the end of proceedings,” said Jarrar’s lawyer, Sahar Francis in Haaretz. “The indictment strengthens our argument that the imprisonment is vindictive.”
Despite the indictment, the military judge retained the administrative detention order, in order to continue to imprison Jarrar without trial and without providing any reasons to continue her detention and deny her release on bail. Her next hearing, on whether she will be imprisoned until trial on the charges, will be held on April 29, followed by a hearing on administrative detention May 6.
Addameer issued the following press release:
PLC Member Khalida Jarrar indicted but continues to be detained under administrative detention
Take action! For continued updates on Jarrar’s case, please see http://samidoun.net/khalidajarrar.
Take Action to support Khalida Jarrar:
1. Click here: Send a message to the Israeli Occupation Forces and demand the immediate release of Khalida Jarrar.It is important that the occupation learns that Khalida has supporters around the world who will not be silent in the face of this injustice.
2. Sign the petition! Sign and share this petition, demanding freedom for Khalida Jarrar immediately.
3. Contact your Member of Parliament, Representative, or Member of European Parliament. The attack on Khalida is an attack on Palestinian parliamentary legitimacy and political expression. Parliamentarians have a responsibility to pressure Israel to cancel this order.
4. Send a letter to Khalida Jarrar – help support her and show her jailers that the world is with her!
5. Use the Campaign Resources to inform your community, parliamentarians and others about Khalida’s case.
6. Protest at the Israeli consulate or embassy for Khalida Jarrar. Bring posters and flyers about Khalida’s case and hold a protest, or join a protest with this important information. Hold a community event or discussion, or include Khalida’s case in your next event about Palestine and social justice.
7. Boycott, Divest and Sanction. Hold Israel accountable for its violations of international law. Don’t buy Israeli goods, and campaign to end investments in corporations that profit from the occupation. Learn more at bdsmovement.net.
Free Khalida Jarrar Now!
Please send the letter below to Israeli occupation forces and demand her immediate release:
Letter Text:
To Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Brigadier General Dani Efroni:
I write today to demand the immediate release of Palestinian member of parliament Khalida Jarrar. Jarrar, a longtime prisoners’ rights activist and political leader, was arrested in her Ramallah home in the early morning hours of April 2, as her home was stormed by dozens of soldiers and her husband locked in another room.
The targeting of Palestinian political leaders for arrest by Israeli occupation forces is an obvious attempt to silence and suppress Palestinian demands for freedom from occupation and apartheid. The arrest of Khalida Jarrar is also an attack on Palestinian women’s leadership and organizing.
Thousands of people and organizations around the world stood with Khalida Jarrar against the illegal forced transfer and expulsion by the IOF last fall, and we stand with her now and demand her immediate release.
The world is watching and we stand with Khalida against this injustice.
Sincerely,
