Solidaridad-Solidarity: SAMIEH JABBARIN (spanish - english)

LA DETENCIÓN COMO MEDIO DE SILENCIAMIENTO POLÍTICO:
EL CASO DEL DIRECTOR DE TEATRO SAMIEH JABBARIN


El arresto domiciliario por tiempo indefinido de Samieh Jabbarin, hombre de teatro establecido en Jaffa, marca una abrupta escalada en el acoso a los ciudadanos comprometidos en la expresión de sus concepciones políticas de forma democrática y legal. El caso de Samieh Jabbarin pone de manifiesto la estrecha cooperación existente entre los servicios de seguridad israelíes, la policía y la oficina del fiscal general. Se trata de una burda tentativa encaminada a incriminar a un activista socio-político en pro de la paz mediante la invención de cargos de violencia contra él. Desgraciadamente, los tribunales de justicia todavía no han puesto coto a estos modos de actuar.

Los hechos:
Samieh Jabbarin, de 41 años de edad, ciudadano de Israel originario de Um al Fahm, es director de cine y teatro. Recibió su formación académica y profesional en Alemania y se encuentra actualmente completando un Master en el Departamento de Arte Dramático de la Universidad de Tel Aviv. De vuelta a su país nativo se estableció en Jaffa donde, entre otras cosas, se implicó activamente en la lucha contra la actual oleada de intentos de expulsar a los residentes árabe-palestinos. Samieh es también un miembro activo del movimiento Abna al Balad y se encuentra entre los organizadores del congreso celebrado en Haifa el pasado año sobre el Derecho de Retorno y de un estado secular democrático. En diciembre pasado contribuyó a la organización de concentraciones públicas de condolencia y de protestas contra la ofensiva israelí en Gaza.

En enero de 2009, los servicios de seguridad le avisaron de que se encontraría la forma de castigarle por su actividad civil y política. La oportunidad se presentó el 10 de febrero, día de las elecciones generales en Israel. Un grupo de fanáticos de extrema derecha dieron a conocer su intención de actuar como monitores oficiales del proceso de votación en Um al Fahm, la segunda ciudad árabe de Israel. Samieh, originario de esta ciudad, se sumó a una manifestación de protesta llevada a cabo por los residentes. Fue detenido junto con otro compañero residente a los pocos minutos de comenzar el acto. Al día siguiente —con una prisa inédita— se presentaron cargos detallados contra él en el tribunal de Hadera, por presunta agresión al comandante Uri Mor-Yossef, jefe de la Patrulla de la Frontera Norte.

Todos los intentos de rebatir y negar una mentira tan descarada han resultado vanos. El ‘secreto’ público es que la policía israelí documenta en vídeo todas las manifestaciones y detenciones. Sin embargo, en este caso no se ha aportado ninguna prueba fuera de la declaración del oficial de policía.

Samieh fue mantenido preso en la prisión de Kishon en condiciones muy duras durante diecisiete días, y tras una batalla legal fue trasladado a la casa de sus padres en Um al Fahm bajo arresto domiciliario estricto. Dos miembros de su familia deben estar con él siempre y se le ha colocado en el tobillo una pulsera electrónica de seguimiento.

Oficialmente esta resolución permanece en vigor “hasta el final del proceso legal de instrucción”. Pero el proceso mismo se encuentra en situación de cuasi estancamiento: en marcado contraste con la prisa con la que se presentaron las acusaciones el sistema no muestra urgencia alguna en hacer públicas las pruebas inculpatorias en un juicio público. La acusación “olvidó” citar a Samieh y a sus abogados para el procesamiento el mes pasado. Por ello se ha fijado como nueva fecha el 27 de abril y quién sabe cuántos meses transcurrirán hasta que se celebre el juicio.

Por tanto, Samieh Jabbarin se encuentra imposibilitado de acceder a su trabajo creador, a sus estudios y a su medio de vida habitual. Su situación sirve asimismo como un aviso inequívoco dirigido a intimidar a otros activistas sociales y políticos.

Hacemos un llamamiento a todos cuantos se sienten personalmente comprometidos con los valores democráticos fundamentales para que eleven su voz y pidan que se ponga fin de manera inmediata a este deplorable asunto. Debemos poner de manifiesto el dudoso método de las acusaciones falsas y de los trampas jurídicas que persiguen silenciar a los resistentes políticos. Este llamamiento va dirigido a:
 Artistas de teatro, cine y televisión tanto de Israel como de fuera;
 Periodistas de medios impresos y electrónicos;
 Personas activas en los campos de la educación y la cultura;
 Abogados y otros miembros del mundo del derecho y la justicia;
 Activistas sociales y de derechos humanos de todas partes;
 Ciudadanos preocupados todavía por la democracia, estén donde estén.

Todos estamos convocados a movilizarnos por la libertad de expresión, la libertad de reunión y la libertad de actividad política no violenta de Samieh Jabbarin, así como de todos los demás ciudadanos de Israel, tanto judíos como árabes.
ES INCONCEBIBLE QUE SE CASTIGUE CON LA ACUSACIÓN DE VIOLENCIA, ARRESTO Y SILENCIAMIENTO RACIAL AL PENSAMIENTO CRÍTICO Y A LA RESISTENCIA NO VIOLENTA.
friendsofsamieh@gmail.com

para firmar la petición entra en: http://www.atzuma.co.il/petition/friendsofsamieh/1/1000/
Está en hebreo e inglés.
Hay que rellenar los tres recuadros marcados con asterisco con los siguientes datos, el nombre en el primer campo, la ciudad o el país en el segundo, y el correo electrónico en el tercero. El correo electrónico no aparecerá en las listas. Los otros dos campos son para adhesiones desde Israel. En el rectángulo más grande de debajo se puede escribir un texto de hasta 600 caracteres. Para sumarse a la petición basta, una vez rellenados los datos anteriores, con pulsar sobre el rectángulo en trazo rojo que está en la parte de abajo del recuadro del formulario. Muchas gracias.

DETENTION AS A MEANS TO POLITICAL SILENCING:
THE CASE OF THEATER ARTIST SAMIEH JABBARIN

The house-arrest for an indefinite period of time of Jaffa-based theater artist Samieh Jabbarin signals a sharp escalation in the harassment of citizens engaged democratically and legally in expressing their political views.
The case of Samieh Jabbarin exposes the close cooperation of the Israeli Security Services, police and Attorney General's office. A crass attempt is being made to incriminate a peace-seeking social-political activist by fabricating charges of violence. Unfortunately, the courts of justice have not yet put a halt to this mode of action.

The facts:
Samieh Jabbarin, 41-years old, a citizen of Israel native of Um al Fahm, is a theater and film director. He was professionally and academically trained in Germany and is currently completing his Masters degree at the Theater Arts Department of Tel Aviv University. Upon his return to his native country, he settled in Jaffa and, among other things, engaged in the struggle against the current wave of attempts to evict Arab-Palestinian residents. Samieh is also active in the Abna al Balad movement and was among the organizers of last year's Haifa conference on the Right of Return and a secular democratic state. Last December he helped organize public mourning rallies and non-violent protests against the Israeli offensive in Gaza.

In January 2009, Samieh was warned by the Security Services that a way will be found to punish him for this civil and political activity. The opportunity presented itself on February 10th, general election day in Israel. A group of extreme rightist fanatics announced their intention to serve as official monitors of the voting process in Um al Fahm, second largest Arab city in Israel. Samieh, a native of this town, joined residents in a protest demonstration. He was arrested along with a fellow-resident minutes after the event began. On the very next day - in unprecedented haste - detailed charges were presented at the Hadera court against him for supposedly assaulting the Chief of the Northern Border Patrol, Commander Uri Mor-Yossef.

All attempts to disprove and deny such outright deception have been in vain. The open 'secret' is that Israeli police video-document all demonstrations and arrests.
In this case, however, no evidence was produced beyond the police officer's own statement.

Samieh was held prisoner in Kishon Prison under harsh conditions for seventeen days, and following a legal struggle, was transferred to strict house-arrest at his parents' home in Um al Fahm. Two family members must be with him at all times, and an electronic shackle is attached to his ankle.
Officially, this ruling is in force "until the end of the legal proceedings". These proceedings, however, have come to a strange near-halt: in sharp contrast to the speed with which it charged him, the system is in no hurry to expose the prosecution's evidence at an open trial. The prosecution "forgot" to summon Samieh and his attorneys to the indictment last month. Consequently, another indictment has been set for April 27th and who knows how many months will elapse until the trial itself.


Thus, Samieh Jabbarin is denied access to his creative work, his studies, and his normal living environment. His fate also serves as a blatant warning to intimidate other social and political activists.

We appeal to all who are personally committed to fundamental democratic values to raise their voice and demand an immediate end to this deplorable affair. We must expose the questionable method of false accusations and frame-ups in attempting to silence political resisters. This appeal is directed at
? Stage, television and film artists both in Israel and abroad;
? Journalists of the printed and electronic media
? Persons visibly active in education and culture
? Lawyers and other members of the justice community
? Social and human-rights activists everywhere
? Citizens who still care about democracy - wherever they are -

we are all called upon to act for the freedom of speech, the freedom of congregation and the freedom of non-violent political activity of Samieh Jabbarin as well as all other citizens of Israel - Jews and Arabs alike.

IT IS INCONCEIVABLE THAT CRITICAL THINKING AND NON-VIOLENT RESISTENCE BE PUNISHED BY INCRIMINATION OF VIOLENCE, ARREST AND MASSIVE SILENCING!

friendsofsamieh@gmail.com
For sign the petition, you can enter in:
http://www.atzuma.co.il/petition/friendsofsamieh/1/1000/

Dear friends,
The solidarity struggle with Palestinian theatre-artist and activist Samieh Jabbarin, who is still under house-arrest in Um Al Fahm, has gained significant resonance in the past two weeks thanks to the publication of journalist Aviva Lori's extensive coverage of the affair in "Haaretz" weekend supplement in Hebrew (22.5.09) and English (28.5.09). Links to both versions follow:
http://www.haaretz.co.il/hasite/spages/1087171.html
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1088706.html

Unfortunately, nothing has moved in court. On June 7th the court in Hadera is to review Samieh's appeal for lifting the limiting conditions of his house-arrest – four (!) months of being denied his personal liberty after being arrested at a political demonstration. Due to the said limiting conditions, Samieh could not even attend the Tel Aviv University scholarship and award-granting ceremony of the Faculty of Fine Arts held a few days ago, where he was mentioned with outstanding honors by the dean and received a scholarship (see appendix).
Please consider: further damaging Samieh, the police – along with the State Attorney's Office – has accused him of so-called violent action. It is no coincidence that these very days a steep exacerbation is anticipated for the future freedom of expression and political association in the State of Israel. Rapid legislation in the Knesset (parliament) of a whole battery of anti-democratic laws has been of major concern. Among others: a proposed law curbs 'any aspiration to change the character of the State or to publish anything that might cause disrespect of the regime" (!); the "Nakba law" prohibits the commemoration of Palestinian suffering caused by the foundation of the State of Israel; the "loyalty law" will require every Israeli citizen - Arabs included – to sign a declaration of loyalty to the state as a "Jewish and Zionist state"; a law to create a fingerprint database of all Israeli citizens; a law forbidding demonstrations in front of residences of public officials, etc.
These are laws that, once legislated, will enable the state to act harshly against all of us in the future, Arabs and Jews alike. No more figments of imagination will be needed about 'violent action' in order to arrest, prosecute and punish innocent citizens.

We thank you for your support of Samieh Jabbarin, for joining the struggle against political detention in Israel, and for sharing the struggle against the new evil winds now blowing in this country.

Our online petition is ongoing. We would appreciate your signatures if you have not yet signed it, and thank you for distributing it among your friends, for this is our most efficient way to keep you in the picture and update you about further actions for Samieh in the near future.

Here is the link to our petition:
http://www.atzuma.co.il/petition/friendsofsamieh/1/1000/
Thanking you in advance,
The Committee for Solidarity with Samieh Jabbarin
May 2009

Dear friends,

Theater artist Samieh Jabbarin is still under house, electronically shackled and confined to his parents' home in Um Al Fahm, for five whole months now (!) – since February 10th 2009. Review of his petition to ease the conditions of his arrest has been rescheduled yet again, this time to June 22nd.

In spite of it all, Samieh continues his creative work. Last week, through telephone and Skype, he directed the short play "Seven Jewish Children" by British playwright Caryl Churchill, translated into Hebew by Uri Shani and Shimon Levy. Actresses Sarah von Schwartze, Gabby Eldor and Laila Bettermann, and actor Rami Hoyberger performed the play at Tel Aviv's Rabin Square, at the entrance to the Hebrew Book Fair Week.

More on this special performance may be found in the blogs of Chen Alon (Midnight East) at
http://www.midnighteast.com/mag/?p=691

and Rachel Shabie (Guardian) at

http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/2009/jun/12/caryl-churchill-seven-jewish-children-tel-aviv

Our online petition is still up. If you have not signed it, please do and send it on to friends, this is our most effective way to update you on the coming actions in solidarity with Samieh in the near future.

Here is the link to the petition:

http://www.atzuma.co.il/petition/friendsofsamieh/1/1000/

Thank you for your support of our struggle,

The Committee for Solidarity with Samieh Jabbarin

June 2009

(Sorry for the delay)
SALUD

Dear friends,
This time we are happy to share some good news: five months after his arrest for participating in a political demonstration in Umm al Fahm, theatre director Samieh Jabbarin returns to his place of residence, Yafa, the conditions of his house-arrest significantly improved, while he is still bound by them until the next proceeding of his trial, set for the coming September.

At the Hadera court, on previous occasions, the judge postponed review of Samieh's application to relieve the conditions of his arrest. Among other reasons, she expressed her dissatisfaction with the media buzz created around his arrest. As you probably recall, on April 30th, a solidarity evening was held at Tel Aviv's Tzavta Hall, featuring numerous Israeli and Palestinian artists. Many supporters in Israel and abroad have signed an online petition demanding the immediate release of Samieh and protesting the use of the police as a political tool to silence all opponents of the regime in Israel.

Samieh is charged with assaulting a senior officer of the Border Patrol, which he adamantly denies, and no evidence of which has been produced so far, although police cameras recorded the demonstration. There are at present 11,000 Palestinians detained on similar grounds. Attempts to silence opponents of the regime are increasing, among other ways through unprecedented anti-democratic legislative initiatives, and the use of the criminal law enforcement apparatus to curb and suppress freedom of speech and opinion.

Under house-arrest in Yafa, Samieh will be able to partially resume his work at the Arab-Hebrew Theater. We shall persist in our demand to vindicate him of all charges and limitations and, with him, continue to work for freedom of expression and association for Arabs and Jews alike – fundamental human rights by international law, of which the State of Israel is not exempt.

It is inconceivable that critical thinking and non-violent resistance be punished by incrimination of violence, arrest and massive silencing!

Our online petition is ongoing. Please sign if you have not yet done so, and help distribute it among your acquaintances. Your signature enables us to update you on Samieh's case and any future action taken, pertaining to him and the numerous other detainees.

Link to the petition:
http://www.atzuma.co.il/petition/friendsofsamieh/1/1000/

Thank you for supporting our struggle,
The Solidarity Committee
July 2009

resulta vergonzante la situación de los ciudadanos de oriente medio, entre el estado israelí y el proyecto palestino, que menos que señalar a los activistas como los esclavos de la era sónica -sionista ahora, con detonadores los otros- una resonancia entre los tobillos.

Good news! Some days ago, our friend Samieh Jabbarin was released from the house-arrest he had been held under for nearly ten months. He is back into his own life-routine, and to the ongoing struggle at court, where he is to be tried for the fabricated charges of assaulting a police officer at Um Al Fahm on the Knesset Election Day, February 2009.
His trial opens in January 2010.
Samieh's letter follows:

Dear Friends,

For a start, I would like to thank every one of you personally for manifesting your solidarity with me while I was being held under house arrest. I often think that the impact of this solidarity on me goes way beyond mere gratitude. Especially because your letters and phone calls have, more than anything else, imparted sincerity and honesty. There is no doubt in my heart that having and feeling you around was a severe blow to the solitude I was meant to feel and experience during these long months.

Some of you I do not even know personally - a fact that has touched me all the more, knowing that personal acquaintance must not necessarily stand as a condition for human and political solidarity. Moreover this has opened a great door for new friendships and acquaintances. To say the least, considering that among the motivations standing behind imprisoning me and later putting me under house arrest was an attempt to isolate me from my friends and others, your solidarity has neutralized this repressive objective and given me a rather warm feeling of being free and among friends. Thank you for that.

Nevertheless, I was just one among thousands of Palestinians who more often than not, are prosecuted and harassed for no crime but claiming their natural right to practice protest against occupation, racism and discrimination.

Mohammad Othman, a Palestinian activist, was detained on 22 September 2009 at the Allenby Crossing as he attempted to return home to the Occupied West Bank from Jordan. To this day there are no official or specific charges against him except for the fact that he is a prominent Palestinian activist and an outspoken advocate of the nonviolent boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement in Palestine. In about a week it will be two months since he was arrested.

Thinking of the great solidarity I have been privileged to experience, I cannot think of any reason why other victims of political harassment should not get the same acknowledgement and recognition. In a way, they stand in the dark and cold for our sake. It is they who are punished, humiliated and tortured for trying to generate a change and a better reality. It is exactly that which makes them “dangerous” for the system. It is they who get thrown in cages where there are no rules but the rule of breaking the human spirit.

Mohammad Othman is one of the new numerous tragic cases of the harsh and inhumane reality that Palestinians experience day by day. There are more than 11,500 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. I think they all deserve our deep and consistent solidarity. Let us not stand aside and watch while human rights and human dignity get trampled.

Our solidarity will surely give Mohammad Othman and the other prisoners a real feeling of not being alone in their struggle. Let us be the ones who give them hope and strength to go on struggling for a better and a just reality.

Last but not least, I have to thank the great guys whose huge efforts made this solidarity campaign possible. It was rather a pretty small group but with amazing energies, conviction and vision. They have worked very hard to make my case widely known and recognized.

I owe them very much for that. So, Ira Avneri, Nurit Yaari, Tal Itzhaki, Tal Haran, Avraham Oz, Lena Ghanayem, Igal Azrati, Ofra Yeshua-Lyth thanks very much.

Let us raise our voices loud,

No Pasaran,

Your friend and comrade,

Samieh Jabbarin

Yafa, Palestine