The New Communist Party of Yugoslavia (NKPJ) condemned trial of Hadash chairman comrade MK Muhammad Barakeh over two separate alleged altercations, one during a 2005 demonstration in Bil'in (a Palestinian village in the occupied territories) and another in Tel Aviv’s Rabin Square in 2006 against the war in Lebanon. The two charges relate to allegations that Barakeh tried to help a Palestinian – arrested during a 2005 Bil'in protest – break out of custody; and that he struck a counter-protester who was verbally accosting another demonstrator, the veteran peace activist Uri Avnery, at Rabin Square in 2006.
NKPJ considered that the indictment was politically motivated and that it wanted to criminalize purely political and legitimate protest against war and occupation and to sully comrade Barakeh's reputation. NKPJ support comrade Barakeh in his struggle!
Hands off comrade Muhammad Barakeh!
Long Live Communist Party of Israel and Hadash!
Secretariat of NKPJ,
Belgrade,
29.01.2013
