MP Mohammed Abu Teir trial postponed until November

[ 28/07/2010 - 04:00 PM ]

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (PIC)-- The Israeli court decided during a hearing Wednesday to postpone the trial of Jerusalem MP Mohammed Abu Teir until November 22, 2010. The court gathered at 9:00am Wednesday to prosecute the Palestinian Legislative Council member on charges of “remaining in the city of Jerusalem without an official permit,” after the Israeli decision to withdraw his identity card. MP Ahmed Attoun said in a press statement: “[Israel] persists to pass [laws] to exile us, and MP Abu Teir’s trial comes in the framework of pressure practiced against us to force us to execute decisions amid weak official positions among Arabs and no practical action to resolve our problem.” MP Attoun reiterated that the Palestinian MPs stand firm in not leaving the occupied city of Jerusalem, adding that MP Abu Teir prefers remaining in prison to signing for his own exile. He called on the people of Jerusalem to stand in front of the Israeli Magistrate court  to deliver the message to the world that “we are gathered to stand against the decision to exile our representatives in the Holy City.” Abu Teir’s attorney, Osama Sa’di said: “The defense team will be in recognition of the facts contained in the indictment, and confirm that international law applies to Jerusalem, as it is an occupied city, and the Geneva Conventions prohibit deportation.” He said that this is seventh time within two months that Abu Teir appeared in court after Israel’s decision to withdraw the identity cards of three Jerusalem MPs: Abu Teir, Ahmed Attoun, and Mohammed Toutah, and former Jerusalem minister, Abu Arafah. Abu Teir trial delayed until November Published yesterday (updated) 28/07/2010 18:31 Jerusalem - Ma'an - An Israeli court deferred until 22 November on Wednesday the trial of a Palestinian lawmaker from Jerusalem who has been remanded in Israeli custody since his detention in May. Mohammad Abu Teir's trial was postponed because of an Israeli Supreme Court hearing on 9 September to discuss the case, prompting the Magistrate's Court to delay the lawmaker's hearing until the higher court rules. As a result, the lawmaker will be kept in custody pending trial, his legal team said. The court filed indictments against Abu Teir, including the charge that he is illegally residing in Jerusalem after the Israeli Interior Ministry revoked his residency rights shortly after his release from prison in May. Abu Teir's legal team rejected the charges. Lawyer Usama As-Sa'di, who is heading Abu Teir's defense, said he will present arguments based on international law because East Jerusalem is considered occupied territory, as well as the Geneva Convention preventing expulsion of the occupied population. In May, Israel announced it was stripping Abu Teir, Ahmad Atoun, Mohammad Totah, and Khaled Abu Arafeh -- all Hamas-affiliated lawmakers -- of their residency rights and issuing a deadline for them to leave the city. The three other lawmakers have been holding a sit-in at the International Committee for the Red Cross headquarters in Sheikh Jarrah since the decision was announced. Speaking with Ma'an's correspondent following the decision, Attoun called on Jerusalem residents to gather outside the trial to convey to the world "that we stand against the decision to deport Jerusalem's lawmakers."