BRUSSELS (EJP)---European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton expressed  concern Tuesday over the conviction of 45-year-old Palestinian activist Bassem Tamimi.  

In a statement her spokesperson said she was "very concerned" over Tamimi's conviction by an Israeli military court on 20 May for taking part in illegal demonstrations and soliciting protesters to throw stones at Israeli soldiers. 

Several European diplomats attended the court session at the Ofer military detention center.  

"The EU considers Bassem Tamimi to be a 'human rights defender' committed to non-violent protest against the expansion of an Israeli settlement on lands belonging to his West Bank village of Nabi Saleh," the statement said.   

"The EU attended all court hearings in his case and is concerned at the use of evidence based on the testimony of a minor who was interrogated in violation of his rights.  

"The EU believes that everyone should be able to exercise their legitimate right to protest in a nonviolent manner."  

Tamimi was charged with soliciting stone-throwing based on evidence that he directed such incidents from the rooftops.  

He was arrested on March 24, 2011, and accused of organising illegal
gatherings and incitement in connection with a series of weekly demonstrations in Nabi Saleh village. Many of those protests turned into clashes between stone-throwing youths and Israeli soldiers.   

He was released on bail on April 24, 2012, although he was kept under house arrest in Ramallah.