Iyad Burnat's testimony on his arrest on June 22, 2007

05/07/2007

Dear Friends,

On Friday June 22, 2007, the Israeli soldiers arrested me, Iyad Burnat, the Head of the Bil’in Popular Committee, while I was participating in the weekly demonstration in Bil’in.

When the Demonstrators were near the Israeli Apartheid wall, the Israeli soldiers started shooting tear gas. I couldn’t breathe from the gas, and while one of the paramedics tried to give me some first aid, an Israeli soldier came and asked me to accompany him. I thought first that he wanted to help me, but then I was told that I am under arrest.

They kept me until the demonstration ended, and then one of the Israeli officers came and showed me a picture and asked me about the person on the picture. I said I don’t know this person because the picture was not clear enough for me, then the Israeli officer told me that he will release me if I tell him who the person on the picture is. I answered again that I don’t know. He then said: "You are under arrest, and I will testify that this picture belongs to you".

And he took me to the police car, where they started questioning me. During the questioning, I was told that the picture was for one of my cousins, and I said that I cannot decide because for me the picture is not clear. Moreover, they asked me to sign a paper, which I refused to do, because it was written in Hebrew and I don’t know how to read or write or understand any Hebrew at all. I was then taken to Offer Prison, without really knowing the reason why.

After seven days, they took me to court and when the Judge saw the picture he ordered the Israeli occupation army to release me, and to make me pay 4000 shekels for my bail. I told my lawyer that I will not pay even one shekel, so the judge decided to give the Israeli persecutor a 74 hours delay to lodge an appeal.

I was detained one more day and was then released on Friday June the 28th because they didn’t had any evidence against me, and I was released without paying any money to the Israeli illegal occupation.

Iyad Burnat