Honenu Attorney Adi Keidar; Photo credit: Honenu
Tuesday, February 16, 2021, 18:10 On the night of Sunday, February 14 and the morning of Monday, February 15, three Jewish youths were detained by policemen from the Central Unit of Yehuda and Shomron Police and transferred to GSS facilities at the Kishon Detention Center. On Monday afternoon, when the detainees were brought to a deliberation at the Natzrat Magistrates Court, it was not yet clear what the charges against them were. The court extended the remand of one of the detainees by eight days and that of the other two by seven days.
Honenu Attorney Avraham Sofer represented the detainees in court and after the deliberation stated that, “We will appeal the remand extension with the Natzrat District Court. There, we will present all of the flaws in the decision by the Natzrat Magistrates Court, which extended their remand. None of the detainees has a criminal record, and the charges against them are unfounded. Apparently this is another case which started with much noise, but will end quietly.”
Honenu Attorneys Avraham Sofer and Adi Keidar filed an appeal. On Tuesday, February 16, at a Natzrat District Court deliberation, Judge Arafat Taha recommended that the representatives of the police agree to reduce the duration of the detainees’ remand. The police agreed to shorten the detainees’ remand by four and five days. Thus the appeal was in large part accepted and the remand will end on Friday, February 19, not the following Wednesday.
Honenu Attorney Adi Keidar: “During the deliberation on the appeal that we filed, the Natzrat District Court leveled criticism at the prosecution for their conduct and for their plan of investigation. Under those circumstances the court significantly shortened the remand of the detainees, by four and five days. They will be brought to an additional deliberation on Friday and we hope that then the case will be closed quietly.”
Two adults were detained in the case. On the evening of Monday, February 15, a Shomron resident, a married father of four children was detained in Jerusalem. His car was impounded when he was detained. Later the same night, another Shomron resident, an approximately 30-year-old father of three children was detained at his home by GSS agents and policemen from the Central Unit of Yehuda and Shomron Police. He was transferred to the GSS facilities at the Kishon Detention Center and his car was impounded.
Both detainees were brought to a deliberation at the Natzrat Magistrates Court the following day. Their remands were extended until Friday, February 19. The detainees were represented by Honenu Attorneys Avraham Sofer and Adi Keidar.