Deportation and house-arrest…cuffed with electronic bracelets…Zalloum and Al-A’war turn themselves in to prison
On Sunday, two Jerusalemite boys turned themselves in to the administration of Al-Maskobyeh Prison to complete their verdict procedures, after 5 months they spent between prison and house-arrest and deportation from the place of residence.
Wadi Hilweh Information Center / Silwan stated that the two boys, Saed Al-A’war, 17, and Mohammad Zalloum, 17, from the town of Silwan, turned themselves to the administration of Al-Maskobyeh Prison in preparation for transferring them to Dimon Prison, pending the issuance of a verdict against them on charges of "throwing Molotov cocktails at a settlers’ bus."
The boys, Zalloum and Al-A’war, were arrested on 4/4/2020, after storming their homes in Silwan and were transferred to the cells of Ashkelon for 22 days, during which they were subjected to beatings, assaults and insults for several hours. Then they were transferred to Megiddo prison and then Dimon Prison, and several extension sessions were held for them until the indictment was filed against them. Their lawyer, Mohammed Mahmoud, filed requests for their release on the condition of house arrest. The District Court rejected the request, so the lawyer appealed to the Supreme Court and was able to obtain a decision requiring conditional release on the 6thof last April.
The boys Zalloum and Al-A’war explained that during the investigation period they were subjected to psychological and physical torture and said during a meeting in front of Al-Maskobyeh prison: “We were isolated in individual cells ... the space is very small in it, we sleep and the toilet is in it. The air condition was kept on all night long and directed towards us and we were not allowed to turn off the lights. There were no blankets and they kept knocking on the walls of the cell with their batons. As for the interrogation, it took place for long hours, starting from 6 in the morning until 11 at night, during which they would tie us on a chair, with both hands and feet cuffed, and we were prevented from going to the toilet or getting any food or drink, in addition to continuous kicking and slapping."
The psychological and physical pressure and torture that Zalloum and Al-A’war were subjected to prompted their family to request their release, especially that since their arrest they were unable to check on them because the courts were taking place via screens and the phone as part of the preventive measures against the Corona virus. The two families explained that the release decision was on the condition of open house arrest and deportation from the place of residence (Silwan), and paying a financial guarantee of 16 thousand shekels for each, in addition to the signing of financial guarantees of 60 thousand shekels, to be paid in case of violating the conditions of release. Also, electronic bracelets were placed on their feet to monitor their movements.
Al-A’war family was forced to rent a house for its son Saed in the village of Sur Baher. As for the Zalloum family, they rented a house for Mohammad in the village of Al-Tur, so that they could spend the house arrest as stipulated by the court. The families explained: “After nearly four months of house-arrest, they were psychologically affected after their homes turned into a prison, and their inability to move freely, in addition to the electronic bracelet that limits their movement and prevents them from even standing in front of the house, they were prevented from completing their distance education, especially since the education has been from distance for months during the Corona period, and the argument that the presence of an "internet router in the home disturbs the electronic bracelet device.".
The families said: "Difficult psychological conditions affected their psyche during their home detention."
The Al-A’war family explained that forcing to Saed to sit on a chair while naked and cuffed for long hours, caused a prevalence of bending in the back and disc in the L-4 and L-5.”
The Zalloum family explained that scratches and wounds can still be seen on Mohammad’s back despite suffering the wounds several months ago.
The family hopes that the proceedings of the trial of their two sons, Saed and Mohammad, will end, so that they can return to their homes and hometown of Silwan as soon as possible.
