Local Bethlehem court releases 10 Hamas supporters

Monday August 13, 2007 12:37 by Najeep Faraj - IMEMC News

The Palestinian local court in the southern West Bank city of Bethlehem on Sunday released 10 Hamas members. The men were arrested by Fatah forces shortly after Hamas took total control of the Gaza strip approximately two months ago.

The president of the court, Judge Mohamed Abu Sondos, released the 10 owing to a lack of evidence.

The Palestinian security forces had previously refused to release the prisoners, and families of the detainees told IMEMC that on Sunday evening they went to welcome their sons but were told that they needed the approval of the Palestinian interior minister before the prisoners would be released.

Fareid Al Atrash, a layer working for the independent committee of civil rights, stated that the Palestinian security forces should comply with the court decision and release the 10 residents.

For his part, the Attorney-General in Bethlehem city, Ashraf Mish'al, said that the prosecution respects the decision of the court.

The Palestinian court in the city of Bethlehem had on Thursday ordered the release of Yasser Abed Al Majeed, a Hamas supporter, but local security forces loyal to the Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah refused to release the man.

The Attorney-General in the city also refused on Thursday to attend to one other court hearing for anther two Hamas fighters, apparently fearing that the court would also order their release. For this reason, the judge had no choice but to postpone the ruling until Sunday.

Abed Al Majeed and 12 other Palestinians were arrested in Bethlehem on charges of attempting to form an executive force division in the city.

The executive force, formed by Hamas after the party took office last year, was declared illegal by the Fatah-affiliated President Mahmoud Abbas two months ago. Abbas declared the force illegal shortly after Hamas took total control of the Gaza strip.

Translated by: Ghassan Bannoura – IMEMC News Room.

bethlehem | internal unrest | news report ghassanb at imemc dot org