Tomorrow, Wednesday, 10 March 2010, at 10:00 a.m. the trial of Member of Knesset Mohammed Barakeh, and chairman of Hadash (the Democratic Front for Peace and Equality – Communist Party of Israel) will open. Adalah Attorneys Hassan Jabareen and Orna Kohn are representing MK Barakeh in this case.
The Attorney General indicted MK Barakeh in November 2009 in relation to four separate incidents that occurred at demonstrations over the course of the last three years. These protests were staged against the Separation Wall, the War on Lebanon, and the lack of accountability of those responsible for the October 2000 killings.
During this time, MK Barakeh participated in hundreds of such events, at which the Israeli police or military tried to suppress protests by peace activists and Arab-Palestinians, in Israel and the West Bank. At these events, MK Barakeh took a leading role in mediating with the police or the military on behalf of protestors and in some instances was subjected to violence from the police and the military. Later these same officers submitted false complaints against him for assault trying to justify their wrongdoings; these accusations form the basis of some of the charges filed against him.
A Communist Party of Israel spokesperson emphasizes that the indictment is based on false evidence that has been completely refuted and rejected by MK Barakeh. The indictment is not based on any evidence that would convict MK Barakeh; it simply criminalizes his legitimate political activities and attempts to harm his reputation and the status of a Communist an Arab leader. A demonstration will be held near the Tel-Aviv Court, tomorrow, at 9:30 a.m.
Protest letters to: Yaakov Ne’eman, Minister of Justice, fax: + 972.2.6287757
e-mail: mancal@justice.gov.il
