Israel approves 'conditional release' for Sheikh Raed Salah

An Israeli court approved today a “conditional release” for the head of the Islamic Movement in Israel, Sheikh Raed Salah.

Sheikh Salah’s lawyer, Khalid Zabarqeh, told Anadolu Agency that the northern Haifa Magistrates’ Court had in principle agreed to a “conditional release until the completion of the trial proceedings.”

Zabarqeh added that the release conditions will be determined in a session next Monday 26 March, noting that “it’s conditions might include restricting Sheikh Raed’s movement and forcing him to stay at his home in the northern city of Kafr Kanna.”

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Sheikh Salah was arrested from his house on 25 August 2017 and was indicted nine days later by the Israeli Public Prosecution. He was accused of violating the law and inciting terror.

An Israeli court in Haifa decided at the time that he remains in prison until the end of the judicial measures against him. His defence team appealed against the ruling, but the appeal was turned down by the court.

He had previously been released after spending nine months in Israeli jails on 17 January 2016. His release was subject to restrictions on his movement, including travel bans and a ban on entering Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque.

The Israeli government banned the Islamic Movement in November 2015 under the pretext that it engaged in provocative activities against Israel.