An article by the Guardian’s Bethan McKernan (“Israel under pressure to conclude flawed case against aid worker”, Feb. 28) included the claim that Mohammed El Halabi, the manager of operations in Gaza of the international NGO World Vision, is currently in “administrative detention” in Israel.
More than 160 court sessions later, Halabi, 45, remains in administrative detention, despite serious flaws in the Israeli case.
We complained to editors, noting that “administrative detention” refers to incarceration without trial or charge, which is clearly not the case with El Halabi, who’s been charged with a crime (funneling over over £5 million a year to Hamas) and is currently awaiting the outcome of his trial.
The Guardian upheld our complaint, amended the sentence in question and added the following addendum – noting the change in language and their addition of a quote from Israel’s Justice Ministry:
Adam, your own language could use some improvement. When people read the defendant is “currently awaiting the outcome of his trial” is sounds as if the trial has taken place and the jury is taking an inordinate amount of time deliberating over the verdict.
Be straightforward. Say what the Guardian’s correction said: he’s in pre-trial detention.
Wayne, there’s no jury trial. His case is being decided by a Beersheba District Court judge. And, the trial has taken a long time – over five years. https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-698388
Thank you for the link. Maybe the best way to convey the situation would be that the defendant has been remanded into custody for the duration of the trial.
Clearly, the term “pre-trial” is also no longer correct.