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The State of Israel v.
MK Dr. Azmi Bishara

Case Summary

On 7 November 2001, the Israeli Knesset (parliament) voted to lift the immunity of Member of Knesset (MK) Dr. Azmi Bishara, head of the National Democratic Assembly party. This move came at the request of Attorney General Elyakim Rubenstein, in order to initiate criminal prosecution. MK Dr. Bishara is to be tried on charges pursuant to the Prevention of Terrorism Ordinance (1948) and the Emergency Regulations (Foreign Travel) (1948). The removal of MK Dr. Bishara's immunity is an unprecedented event in the history of Israeli politics. It is the first time that an MK has been stripped of his immunity because of political statements made in the course of performing his duties as a public representative. Dr. Bishara is charged in connection with political speeches he made at a public gathering in the Arab town of Umm al-Fahem, Israel on 5 June 2000 and at a memorial assembly in Syria on 10 June 2001, in which he expressed support for the right to resist the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories and South Lebanon. He is also charged in connection with a series of visits he organized, whereby elderly Palestinian citizens of Israel travelled to Syria to visit relatives they had not seen since 1948.

Latest Developments

 Supreme Court Dismisses Criminal Charges Against MK Azmi Bishara for his Political Speeches -14 February 2006

 Magistrate Court Decides not to Convict MK Azmi Bishara’s Former Parliamentary Assistants -4 January 2006

 More News Updates

Legal Documents

 Prevention of Terrorism Ordinance, Emergency Regulations (Foreign Travel) and Prevention of Infiltration (Offences and Jurisdiction) (Amendment) Law
 Law in Arabic

Decision of Nazareth Magistrate Court Dismissing Indictment against MK Bishara in Connection with Visits to Syria Decision (Hebrew) (delivered 1 April 2003).

Decision of Nazareth Magistrate Court Not Dismissing Indictment against MK Bishara for Political Speeches Decision (Hebrew) (delivered 12 November 2003).

Related Documents

Brief Biography of MK Dr. Azmi Bishara

Adalah's Statement on the Cases  
 Statement in Arabic

Statement to the Inter-Parliamentary Union's Committee on Human Rights of Parliamentarian's: The Case of MK Dr. Azmi Bishara

Indictments against MK Dr. Bishara
 Syria Indictment in Arabic
 Speeches Indictment in Arabic

 Text of MK Dr. Bishara's speeches in Umm al-Fahem, Israel (5 June 2000) and Kardaha,
Syria (10 June 2001)
 Speeches in Arabic