23 July 2010 | ISM Media Team
Correction, 27 July 2010: Marcus’s surname was originally wrongly spelled ‘Rednander’ but has now been corrected.
Bogus charges
As part of Israel’s increased attempt at hindering the work of Palestine solidarity activists, an Israeli court yesterday dealt a further blow.
Marcus Regnander, a 26-year-old activist and nursing student from Sweden, was arrested by Israeli forces on the night of Tues. July 20. He was initially accused of assaulting an Israeli soldier during a demonstration in Hebron earlier this month. Regnander first saw a judge at the Court of Peace in the Russian Compound in Jerusalem on Wed. July 21. Although there was no proof of the accusations against him, Regnander was escorted away in handcuffs and shackles.
At 11:00 yesterday morning, after three nights in prison, Regnander was again brought before a judge in the Court of Peace for a second time, despite there still being no evidence against him – and after he had been told he would be released at noon. According to Regnander, the court did not allow any of the Israeli activists who were attempting to enter the courtroom inside in order to translate for the defendant.
“I did not understand anything,” Regnander said. “Everything was in Hebrew.”
Regnander said that the first Israeli public defendant was replaced by a new one this morning, one that, according to Regnander, “did not care about what was happening to me.”
The judge imposed conditions on Regnander. The conditions state that he cannot enter the West Bank for 180 days nor come within 50 meters of Israeli military checkpoints where soldiers are present.
“This is just one example that proves that there is no justice in Israel,” Regnander said. “The ruling was based on fabricated charges by people in positions of power.”
Mistreatment in Prison
Regnander spent three nights and 2.5 days in prison, approx. 60 hours. According to Regnander, he was only given two meals during this time. Furthermore, the Israeli guards continuously woke up Regnander throughout the night by turning on the lights, yelling, and “pushing me in different directions,” according to Regnander.
Appeal planned
Regnander plans to fight the court’s ruling, and lawyers will appeal his case.
For more information, contact:
Marcus Regnander, 0549-113-725
ISM Media Office, 0546-180-056 or 0597-606-276