Honenu Attorneys Rom (L) and Keidar (R); Photo credit: Honenu
Wednesday, August 28, 2024, 11:16 Last week, the military court extended the house arrest of five of the soldiers who were detained on the Sde Teiman military base on suspicion of assaulting a Nukhba terrorist. Five additional soldiers who were detained over the same incident have already been released. Following the house arrest extension, the Honenu attorneys who are representing some of soldiers requested to receive the investigative material in the case from the military prosecution. To their astonishment, in reply, the military prosecution sent them a non-disclosure agreement and demanded that they sign it before receiving the material. Among other points, the agreement stipulates: “I hereby agree to maintain the confidentiality of all the material that will be transferred in the framework of the case and not to divulge all or part of the material to any individual other than the defense attorneys.”
Honenu Attorneys Adi Keidar and Nati Rom, who have been representing some of the soldiers since their detention, stated, “Time after time, the military prosecution outdo themselves. Some of the investigative material has already been leaked to the media. However, when the attorneys for the defense request to receive the material, the prosecution demands that they sign a stringent agreement concerning its transfer and return, which is unacceptable to the defense, and contradicts all accepted procedures for cases such as this. This scandalous conduct began with the detention of the soldiers, continued with the prosecution’s favorable treatment of the terrorist, and the insistence to remand the soldiers, who were later placed under house arrest, which is greatly detrimental to them, both psychologically and financially, Following such actions, it would be expected for the prosecution not to raise difficulties over a basic and inviolable part of the standard legal process. We announced that we would not sign the agreement, and we demand that the material be transferred to us without delay.”
Please click here for a description by the detained Sde Teiman soldiers of the incident.
Please click here for a statement from Hila, the wife of one of the soldiers detained at the Sde Teiman military base on suspicion of assaulting a Nukhba terrorist, who leveled sharp criticism at the Military Advocate General over his detention.
On July 30, the court ignored the soldiers’ concerned families and held a hearing in their absence.
Initially, Honenu Attorneys Rom and Keidar were prevented on various pretexts from meeting with the detainees and granting them legal counsel.