RAMALLAH, Wednesday, April 17, 2019 (WAFA) – An Israeli court today sentenced Abdullah Abu Rahma, a human rights defender, to five months in prison to start serving his sentence on June 2, and two years suspended sentence.

Abu Rahma told WAFA in a telephone interview that the court responded to the appeal submitted to it by his lawyers and sentenced him to five months starting June.

He added that his attorney played a video in the court hearings that denies all charges against him, but that the court decided to prosecute him based on his activities in Khan al-Ahmar and other areas where he fought against the wall and settlements.

“Two years ago, I participated in a bicycle marathon that was held to mark al-Nakba (catastrophe) Day, under the banner Bikers of Return,” Abu Rahma said. “The cyclists went from Ramallah to the village of Bil‘in at 9 am. After about an hour, they reached the apartheid wall in Bil‘in, west of Ramallah. With the end of the event, we were surprised when Israeli soldiers came to the place and began to shoot teargas and stun grenades at us even though we had women and children with us,” he said.

Abu Rahma said he went to talk to the soldiers to tell them that it is a sport and peaceful activity. “As we started to go back to our homes in Bil‘in, we were attacked once again grenades from another Israeli force at the homes. When I tried to stop them, soldiers pulled me and threw me to the ground and began to attack me. I was then handcuffed, blindfolded and arrested.”

Abu Rahma said that he remained in prison for 11 days and was unconditionally released on the day of the court after watching the video, but the appellate judge of the military prosecution released him after posting a 15,000 Israeli shekels bail until the next court hearing when the judge sentenced him to four months in prison.

K.T./M.K.