Honenu Attorney Moshe Poleski; Photo credit: Honenu
Wednesday, October 9, 2024, 10:29 Yesterday (Tuesday), at Ben Gurion Airport, the GSS detained an 18-year-old Jewish Shomron resident returning home from Uman. He was taken to a GSS facility and forbidden to meet with an attorney for two days. Today, Honenu Attorney Moshe Poleski, who is representing the detainee, appealed to the Jerusalem District Court to allow the detainee to meet with an attorney. The court denied the request.
On the day of the detention, Attorney Poleski stated, “This is outrageous conduct on the part of the GSS. A young man suspected of involvement in an incident that occurred over two months previously is detained upon his return from Uman, taken in for interrogation, and denied what is a fundamental legal right under a democratic government, the right to consult with an attorney. It is completely obvious that there are no legal grounds to deny him a meeting with an attorney. The incident in question is relatively old, and other suspects involved have already been interrogated. This indicates unequivocally that the sole purpose of prohibiting him to meet with an attorney is to break the spirit of a young detainee who is being held under extremely severe interrogation and remand conditions. The goal of the GSS is to cause him to take responsibility for acts to which he has no connection.”
After the appeal was rejected, he added, “Although the State of Israel is fighting enemies to the north, the south, and the east, and there are terror attacks in the heart of the country, the GSS is devoting resources to examining incidents from several months ago, where the most serious offense seems to involve property damage. The time has come for the GSS to understand what the tangible and constant dangers to Israeli citizens are. Preventing the youth from meeting with an attorney violates the fundamental right granted to every detainee. If their goal is to defend democracy, the GSS should combat the actual enemies.”