Israel extends detention of Sheikh Raed Salah

The Israeli Supreme Court yesterday extended the detention of Islamic Movement in Israel leader, Sheikh Raed Salah until 30 May.

Sheikh Salah’s lawyer Khaled Zabarqa told the Anadolu Agency that the Israeli Supreme Court yesterday convened to consider the Attorney General’s request to extend Salah’s detention for an additional three months.

Poster of Sheikh Raed Salah, head of the Islamic Movement in Israel

“As his defence team we asked the Magistrates’ Court in Haifa last week to reconsider his detention after it became clear that his words – on which his indictment and witness testimonies were based – had been mistranslated,” Zabarqa said.

The Magistrates’ Court set 30 May for hearing and therefore extended Salah’s detention until then, he added.

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 12 charges, including violating the law and inciting terror.

READ: Raed Salah can be released, placed under house arrest

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

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