NAZARETH, Thursday, November 9, 2023 (WAFA) – This morning, former Member of Knesset Mohammad Barakeh, the chairperson of the High Follow-Up Committee for Arab Citizens of Israel, was ordered to accompany and was held by police officers using an unmarked police vehicle, while he was on his way to a protest in Nazareth. The police took Barakeh to a police station for interrogation.

The police also detained five Palestinian political leaders, citizens of Israel, in connection with the protest, including former members of the Israeli Knesset from the Balad political party Sami Abu Shehadeh, Mtanes Shehadeh, and Haneen Zoabi, and the deputy secretary general of the party, Yousef Tatour. Mahmoud Mawasi, a member of the High Follow-up Committee, was also detained.

The police issued a press release stating that Barakeh was detained for defying police instructions and attempting to organize an unlawful protest that had the potential to incite public disorder and disrupt the peace.

Yesterday, Barakeh informed the Nazareth Police Commander that the High Follow-Up Committee planned to organize a protest in Al-Ain Square in Nazareth, expecting no more than 50 participants. In his communication with the commander, Barakeh emphasized that, according to Israeli law, the protest did not require a permit and requested that the police refrain from interfering with its organization.

Barakeh was transferred to the Beit She'an Police Station while the other detainees were transferred to the Migdal Haemek police station Police Station.

Hassan Jabareen, the General Director of Adalah – The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel, who provides legal counsel to Barakeh and the other political leaders, commented: “Just yesterday, the Israeli Supreme Court delivered a ruling emphasizing that the police have no authority to sweepingly and arbitrarily ban protests by Palestinian citizens in Israel, even during times of war. Today, however, we are witnessing a draconian ban by police being implemented on the ground, with the intention of silencing all forms of criticism and suppressing the freedom of expression and assembly of Palestinian citizens and their leaders. These detentions are blatantly illegal, and are clearly aimed at obstructing Palestinian political activity that falls within the confines of the law.”

M.K.