Approving the release of an MP and former Jerusalem Minister
The Israeli authorities approved on Wednesday the release of the Jerusalemite member of Parliament (MP) Mohammad Totah and former Jerusalem Minister Khaled Abu Arafeh after detaining them for 24 months on charges of illegally entering the city of Jerusalem after the Israeli authorities have abandoned their Jerusalemite ID and right to reside in the city as well as charging them of being members in Hamas Movement. Amjad Abu Asab, head of Jerusalemite detainees and prisoners families committee, said that the Supreme Court held a session a week ago to discuss the appeal submitted by Mohammad Totah and Khaled Abu Arafeh regarding the continuation of arresting them on the above mentioned charges, and both lawyers Usama Sa’di and Fadi Qawasmi defended them. At the end of the session, the court recommended to release them and that the 24 months they stayed in prison were enough and then gave the general prosecution 7 days to respond to the decision which approved the court’s decision last Wednesday. Abu Asab explained that Totah and the former prisoner were kidnapped by the Special Forces on 23/01/2012 from inside the Red Cross headquarters in Jerusalem after they protested in mid-2010 against the Israeli decision to isolate them from the city and deprive them from their residency under the pretext of “lack of loyalty to the occupation’s authority.” A Special Israeli Force raided the tent three months before kidnapping them and arrested Member of Parliament (MP) Mohammad Aton and isolated him to the city of Ramallah which came a short while after the arrest of MP Mohammad Abu Ter and isolating him as well.
