Adalah Warns Against Intimidating Voters, Rules Out Guns at Polling Stations

Dr. Hassan Jabareen, director of the Adalah Legal Center, has warned that allowing election monitors to carry weapons inside polling stations could intimidate voters and undermine the integrity of the electoral process. Adalah and other groups have filed a petition to prevent armed monitors from entering these areas. Jabareen explained in an interview with Radio al-Shams that the election committee and police disagreed on the issue, with the committee opposing armed monitors in voting rooms while the police viewed it as enhancing security. He noted a lack of clear legal text on the matter, leaving the court to rely on general principles of free and fair elections. Arguments against allowing weapons include that past elections were conducted without them and that their presence could create a climate of fear. Jabareen indicated that the election committee's stance could influence the court's decision, with the police expected to submit their response soon and a court ruling anticipated imminently. He also expressed concern over potential provocations on election day and cautioned the public against being drawn into confrontations. Jabareen also raised concerns about the potential impact of the next government on the judiciary, noting that it could appoint five Supreme Court justices, altering its composition. He stressed that attention should also be paid to lower courts, as their judges' leanings affect citizens' lives. Finally, Jabareen commented on financial demands made against young men from Acre convicted in connection with the "Dignity Uprising" events, questioning the legality of imposing hundreds of thousands of shekels in compensation within the criminal process and expressing hope for an appeal.