Former Fatah leader Dahlan sentenced in absentia

A court in Ramallah has sentenced exiled Fatah leader Mohammed Dahlan to two years in jail for “slandering, disparaging and insulting institutions of the Palestinian state”.

Dahlan, who resides in the UAE, is seen as a major political rival of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. In March, Abbas publicly accused Dahlan of involvement in the death of former Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in 2004.

According to Reuters, the sentence was handed down in March, but it was only publicly announced on Tuesday in a West Bank newspaper.

The court’s announcement adds that several leaders of the Palestinian security forces had testified against Dahlan.

Dahlan has lived in exile in the UAE since 2011, when Fatah leaders revoked his membership.

On 6 May, the Arabic weekly al-Watan, published in California, reported that the UAE was coming under increasing pressure from other Gulf countries to extradite him.

Dahlan has said that the sentencing is “politically motivated”, and that Abbas is seeking to manipulate “the respected Palestinian judiciary” as a result of “personal hatred”.

Ma'an news agency quotes him as saying that, “Abbas’ decision to try me in secret on the charge of slandering the Palestinian state did not surprise me.”

Dahlan used his statement to stress that he will be taking part in upcoming presidential and legislative elections, adding that the decision to sentence him was an attempt to obstruct his participation.