RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — Israeli authorities released activist Ashraf Abu Rahmeh on Sunday night, the Bilin Popular Committee said.
Abu Rahmeh was detained by Israeli forces in October 2011 while participating in a weekly protest against Israeli land confiscation.
He is a leading figure in weekly non-violent demonstrations against Israel’s ongoing annexation of village land for nearby illegal settlements and the separation wall.
An Israeli military court convicted him of organizing an illegal demonstration and throwing stones, imprisoning him in Ofer jail for six months. He paid 2,000 shekels ($530) to Israeli authorities upon his release, the popular committee told Ma’an.
He has been arrested several times by Israeli forces.
Both Abu Rahmeh’s brother and sister were killed by Israeli forces while taking part in demonstrations.
In Jan. 2011, Jawahir Abu Rahmah, 36, died after inhaling large amounts of tear gas fired by Israeli forces who forcibly dispersed a weekly rally.
Abu Rahmah’s brother Bassem was killed in April 2009 by a tear gas canister fired at his chest by an Israeli soldier during a village demonstration.
In 2008, a video emerged of Ashraf being shot in the foot by Israeli soldiers while blindfolded and bound.
The village of Bilin, west of Ramallah, has been the scene of weekly protests for years as Palestinians have fought to protect their land from annexation.
