QALQILIA, May 8, 2012 (WAFA) – Israeli court agreed to release a local Palestinian activist on a $5,000 bail, after he was arrested for participating in non-violent weekly demonstrations in Kufr Qaddum, a village east of Qalqilia, said local sources on Tuesday.

Media Coordinator of the weekly demonstrations in Kufr Qaddum Murad Shtewi said that Palestinian activist Riyad Shtewi was arrested along with another 19 activists in April 5.

The coordinator said that Israeli courts set huge bails for detained Palestinian activists to discourage them from participating in future protests.

He added that around $15,000 (57, 000NIS) were paid in order to release over 50 activists who were detained since the demonstrations first started.

Kufr Qaddum residents and organizations called on international human rights groups to intervene in order to expose the Israeli policies to blackmail Palestinians, insisting that such policies fall under collective punishment.  

M.H.