Ameer Makhoul. On his way to plea bargain?
Photo: Panet Website
Plea bargain in Makhoul spy case?
Plea bargain for Ameer Makhoul, accused of spying for Hezbollah, expected to be brought before court soon. Serious espionage charges likely dropped but allegations he contacted enemy agent to remain
A plea bargain has been taking shape during the last few days in the case of Ameer Makhoul, accused of agreeing to spy against Israel for Hezbollah. The plea bargain reached between the prosecution and the defendant's legal counsel, attorneys Avigdor Feldman, Hassan Jabrin and Hussein Abu Hussein, may soon be submitted to the Haifa District Court.
Makhoul is a member of Ittijah (the Union of Arab Community-Based Associations) and chairman of the Arab Higher Monitoring Committee's council for the defense of freedoms. During initial interrogation following his arrest, he admitted to the allegations against him including serious security infringements, espionage and contact with an enemy agent acting for Hezbollah.
However, when the trial began, he claimed his admission had been wrung from him under duress. As part of the plea bargain, it is expected that paragraphs in the indictment alleging he spied for Hezbollah will be changed, among others, and he will admit to contact with enemy agents.
If the plea bargain takes shape and is approved by the court, the defense is expected to request no more than seven years behind bars for the defendant, while the prosecution will request ten. Until the agreement is put before the court, both parties are declining to comment on it.
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