Ramallah Magistrate Court Postpones AMAN Coalition Hearing to January 2025

Ramallah: The Ramallah Magistrate Court has deferred the hearing of the lawsuit against the Coalition for Integrity and Accountability - AMAN by the Presidential Office to January 14, 2025. This postponement, requested by the Public Prosecution, aims to provide additional time for a thorough review and analysis of the defense evidence presented by AMAN. According to Maan News Agency, the lawsuit against the Aman Coalition arises from allegations detailed in its fifteenth report, published in May 2023. The report, titled "The Reality of Integrity and Combating Corruption in Palestine for the Year 2022," underlines the issues of laundering settlement dates and the involvement of public officials. It also highlighted the coalition's attempts to tackle these issues through regular investigative channels, critiquing current practices and calling for increased oversight. The charges leveled against AMAN include slander and defamation, drawing on Article 191 of the Jordanian Penal Code No. 16 of 1960. This legal a ction comes amid revelations by AMAN about certain companies allegedly bypassing Law No. (4) of 2010, which prohibits and combats the marketing of settlement products like dates. These companies reportedly repackage these dates, labeling them under Palestinian or Arab names, and either sell them locally or export them as national products by exploiting origin certificates. In response to these ongoing issues, especially with the onset of this year's date harvest season, AMAN has reiterated its call for stronger official and community oversight and preventive measures. It also emphasizes the need for all cases related to these practices to proceed through normal legal channels, ensuring that all parties, from officials to major traders, are held accountable under the law. Additionally, AMAN continues to encourage public reporting of any suspicious activities to the Anti-Corruption Commission and provides legal support and advice to those who come forward.