Israel groups call for indictment of officer, soldier
Wednesday, August 20th, 2008Mohammad Al-Mar’i; 20/8/08
The Palestinian peace activist, Ashref Abu Rahmeh, and several Israeli human rights organizations yesterday submitted a petition to Israeli High Court of Justice demanding a harsher indictment be presented against an Israeli army’s commander and soldier who were involved in shooting unarmed and bound Abu Rahmeh in the West Bank village of Nilin in early July. The petition was filed by B’Tselem, Yesh Din, the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel, and Abu-Rahmeh. The petitioners demand the court order military advocate general, Brig. Gen. Avi Mandelblit and the Israeli forces’ chief prosecutor Col. Liron Lieberman to amend the indictment so it may “reflect the severity of the actions.” The petition also demands that two other servicemen, Lt. Col. Omri Burberg and another staff sergeant, be tried for aggravated assault of a bound prisoner — an offense which is punishable by up to seven years in jail.
