Dareen Tatour facts for kids
Dareen Tatour (Arabic: دارين طاطور, born on April 16, 1982, in Reineh) is a Palestinian poet, photographer, and social media activist. She writes in Arabic, her first language. Dareen is known for her creative work and for speaking out on social media.
In 2018, an Israeli court found her responsible for some things she posted online, including a video where she read one of her poems. The court said these posts encouraged harmful actions and supported a group considered dangerous. She was sentenced to five months in prison and was released in September 2018.
A year later, in May 2019, a higher court looked at her case again. This court decided that her poem did not directly encourage harmful actions. Because of this, the part of her conviction related to the poem was overturned. However, the convictions for her other social media posts remained.
In 2019, Dareen Tatour received an Oxfam Novib/PEN Award for Freedom of Expression. This award recognizes people who bravely stand up for their right to speak freely.
Legal Challenges and Appeal
Dareen Tatour faced legal challenges because of her online posts. Her case brought up important discussions about freedom of speech, especially for artists.
Court Proceedings and Outcome
During her trial, Dareen Tatour's lawyers argued that she was being tried to make other Palestinians in Israel afraid to speak their minds. They also said that making poetry a crime would harm the cultural richness of society.
On May 3, 2018, she was found responsible for the posts. Later, on July 31, 2018, she was sentenced to five months in prison. She was released in September of that same year.
Successful Appeal for Her Poem
In May 2019, the Nazareth District Court reviewed her case. This court looked closely at the poem that was part of the original charges. The judges decided that the poem did not contain clear messages that would directly cause people to act violently.
The court also noted that Dareen Tatour was known as a poet. They explained that freedom of expression is even more important when it involves artistic and creative work. This decision meant that the conviction related to her poem was removed, though other parts of her conviction remained.
