Monday, April 22, 10:30 The following is an account of the release of the last of the youths suspected of involvement in two incidents of assault, one in Teveria (Tiberius) and the other in Tel Aviv. Subsequent to the insistence of Honenu’s team of lawyers and the realization that in one of the cases there was insufficient evidence, the youths were released to house arrest.
For two months three minors sat in remand on suspicion of involvement with two incidents of violence. After two months the court decided that there was insufficient evidence in one of the incidents and the three detainees were released to house arrest. Honenu insisted that the minors not fulfill their house arrest in an institution for juvenile delinquents reasoning that in such an institution they would genuinely learn how to be criminals.
Six Honenu attorneys have been working recently on a complex case in which youths, among them minors, were accused of attacking several Arabs. The attorneys are of the opinion that a stay in an institution for juvenile delinquents would be highly detrimental to the youths and insisted that they remain in remand in a detention center until a solution was reached. A stay in a detention center is indeed not a pleasant experience, all the more so for youths, the youngest of whom is only 15 years old, say the staff of Honenu and add that, “In this case there was no choice other than to insist that they remain in remand until a suitable alternative was found that would not exacerbate the situation and harm the youths.”
The three youths were detained approximately two months ago on suspicion of involvement with two incidents of violence. Despite the recommendation made by the youth probation service to release them to house arrest already a month ago the police demanded that the court reconsider the decision in light of the fact that the case involved two separate incidents. Because the case involves youths with no criminal record the premise of the youth probation service is that it would not be beneficial for them to be in complete remand. In the end the youth probation service suggested an alternative more strict than house arrest, an institution for juvenile delinquents. The Honenu attorneys representing the youths strongly objected to the suggested alternative to the remand. “Our experience shows that institutions for juvenile delinquents achieve exactly the opposite result of what is wanted. Instead of a youth being rehabilitated and returning to the proper path, the institution serves as a greenhouse for raising expert criminals.”
In the complex case being tried simultaneously in the Tel Aviv and Natzrat Juvenile Courts, indictments were filed against four youths, three of them minors. No fewer than six Honenu attorneys participated in the defense of the case. Ran Shaham, Tomer Schwartz, Aharon Roza, Chai Haber, Adi Kedar and Bentzi Kabler handled the cases in both courts. Initially there were other detainees in the case who were released after several weeks after it became apparent that they were not involved with the supposed incidents. The harsh treatment by the courts was due to the fact that there are two incidents of violence in the case.
After two months of deliberations the Tel Aviv court reached the stage at which the evidence was supposed to be presented. During the course of the deliberations it became clear that the police were having great difficulty in presenting evidence and that there was great doubt that the attack had actually occurred. In light of that Judge Tzion Kafah, a juvenile court judge in the Tel Aviv District Court, released the youths to house arrest and not to the rehabilitation institution recommended by the youth probation service. “There has been a turn around concerning the facts [of the case],” wrote Judge Kafah in his decision and specified, “The involvement of the defendants in the attack on the complainant is not clear at all and there a quite a few puzzling aspects [in the case].” Later also Natzrat District Juvenile Court Judge Yonatan Avraham ordered the release of the youths to their homes according to the conditions determined by the Tel Aviv Magistrate Court. The two judges based their decision on the fact that in the end the case involved only one incident and in light of the circumstances it was sufficient for the youths to be under house arrest under the supervision of their parents in addition to wearing an electronic ankle monitor which enables them to be located at all times. The detainees were released to their homes after bail was posted.
Honenu expresses satisfaction at the release. “Although it [the release] came late, we feel that our insistence was worth the effort. Their release home has genuinely saved these youth.”
Honenu attorney Adi Kedar summarizes the legal angle of the case: “After a prolonged and complex legal battle to which six Honenu attorneys devoted their efforts, in a rare step the district court ruled that in one of the instances the evidence which the police presented had a significant lack. Rendering the claims – on the basis of which one of the indictments was filed – of the police baseless changed the picture and facilitated the release of the youths to their homes.”
-
Wednesday, August 7, 2024, 13:28 Yesterday (Tuesday), security forces and Civil Administration personnel destroyed four structures at Tzur Yisrael, a hilltop community in the Binyamin region. Three Yehuda and Shomron residents who protested the destruction and remained at the site a short time after the structures were destroyed were detained by the police who claimed that they had violated a closed military zone order.
-
Tuesday, August 6, 2024, 15:12 In February 2023, border police officers and Civil Administration personnel destroyed a vineyard under Jewish ownership near Shilo following a claim that it was situated on “private Palestinian land”. Dozens of protesters arrived in an attempt to prevent the destruction, among them Knesset Member Limor Son Har-Melech (Otzma Yehudit), who obstructed a tractor and was then assaulted by four border police officers.
-
Sunday, August 4, 2024, 21:33 On Sunday, a hearing for the soldiers detained at the Sde Teiman Military Base on suspicion of assaulting a Nukhba terrorist was held at the Beit Lid Military Court. Honenu Attorneys Adi Keidar and Nati Rom demanded the immediate release of the soldiers whom they are representing
-
Archives
- December 2024
- November 2024
- October 2024
- September 2024
- August 2024
- July 2024
- June 2024
- May 2024
- April 2024
- March 2024
- February 2024
- January 2024
- December 2023
- November 2023
- September 2023
- August 2023
- July 2023
- June 2023
- May 2023
- April 2023
- March 2023
- February 2023
- January 2023
- December 2022
- November 2022
- October 2022
- September 2022
- August 2022
- July 2022
- June 2022
- May 2022
- April 2022
- March 2022
- February 2022
- January 2022
- December 2021
- November 2021
- October 2021
- September 2021
- August 2021
- July 2021
- June 2021
- May 2021
- April 2021
- March 2021
- February 2021
- January 2021
- December 2020
- November 2020
- October 2020
- September 2020
- August 2020
- July 2020
- June 2020
- May 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
- February 2020
- January 2020
- December 2019
- November 2019
- October 2019
- September 2019
- August 2019
- July 2019
- June 2019
- May 2019
- April 2019
- March 2019
- February 2019
- January 2019
- December 2018
- November 2018
- October 2018
- September 2018
- August 2018
- July 2018
- June 2018
- May 2018
- April 2018
- March 2018
- February 2018
- January 2018
- December 2017
- November 2017
- October 2017
- September 2017
- August 2017
- July 2017
- June 2017
- May 2017
- April 2017
- March 2017
- February 2017
- January 2017
- December 2016
- November 2016
- October 2016
- September 2016
- August 2016
- July 2016
- June 2016
- May 2016
- April 2016
- March 2016
- February 2016
- January 2016
- December 2015
- November 2015
- October 2015
- September 2015
- August 2015
- July 2015
- June 2015
- May 2015
- April 2015
- March 2015
- February 2015
- January 2015
- December 2014
- November 2014
- October 2014
- September 2014
- August 2014
- July 2014
- June 2014
- May 2014
- April 2014
- March 2014
- February 2014
- January 2014
- November 2013
- October 2013
- September 2013
- August 2013
- July 2013
- June 2013
- May 2013
- April 2013
- March 2013
- February 2013
- January 2013
- December 2012
- November 2012
- October 2012
- September 2012
- August 2012
- July 2012
- June 2012
- May 2012
- April 2012
- March 2012
- February 2012
- January 2012
- December 2011
- November 2011
- October 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- January 2011
- December 2010