Israel: activist Yonatan Pollack begins prison term for illegal bicycling

Israeli activist Yonatan Pollack arrived Jan. 11 at the Hermon Prison in the lower Galilee where he will serve his three-month prison sentence. Pollack was convicted of illegal gathering during a Tel Aviv protest against Operation Cast Lead two years ago, where he rode his bicycle slowly along the streets, causing traffic jams.

Upon entering the prison the activist said: “The prison sentence is part of a trend of restricting and putting obstacles in the path of protestors in Israeli society… The restriction of protest is expressed through Palestinians sentenced to longer prison terms than mine, with no evidence and no trial.”

Pollack explained that community service was never an option for him “because I don’t think that what I did was wrong and I have no intention of cooperating in my penalization. If I need to go to prison, I’ll go and on the day I’m released I’ll continue to do the same thing.” (YNet, Jan. 11)

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