Israel's Supreme Court Reduces Sentence for Arab Israeli Man Convicted on Security Charges

The Israeli Supreme Court has reduced the prison sentence of Amir Kiwan, an Arab Israeli man from the town of Majd al-Krum, by nine months. Kiwan was initially convicted on security-related charges by the Haifa District Court and sentenced to 30 months imprisonment. His lawyer, Hussein Manaa, announced the Supreme Court's decision on Friday, stating that the appeal was accepted after a "heated session" before three judges.

Manaa had argued that the original sentence was unjust and that the district court had erred in its judgment. Following the Supreme Court's ruling, Kiwan is expected to be released in less than three months. The lawyer expressed his commitment to defending his clients, stating, "We do not abandon our youth and do not tire, and we continue until after the end to achieve justice and achieve the best in these cases."

Kiwan was arrested in March 2025, along with another individual, Noor Shabat. Indictments were filed against them on April 11 of the same year. The charges included dealing with a foreign agent and attempting to join armed groups in Tulkarm and Nablus with the aim of carrying out terrorist attacks, according to the indictment.

At the time of the indictment, Manaa had expressed optimism that many charges would be dropped, suggesting the case relied heavily on confessions obtained during interrogations or testimonies from others, without substantial physical evidence. Previous reports indicated the charges were considered very serious.