Old City detainees spend night in remand

Wednesday, November 23, 8:33 On the evening of Tuesday, November 22 a married couple, Shomron residents about 19 years old, were detained as they strolled through the Old City of Jerusalem.
The incident began when policemen approached the couple and demanded to carry out a security check. The couple, who were not given an explanation for the purpose of the check, objected and started to read Psalms. In response the policemen demanded that they accompany them to the police station, but did not give a reason. The couple was forcibly dragged by the policemen to the Merchav David (Old City) Police Station.
After several hours of interrogation on suspicion of obstructing a policeman in the line of duty, the couple were offered conditions for release: signing on an order distancing them from the Old City of Jerusalem for 15 days and also being fingerprinted so that their fingerprints could be entered into the police database. The couple refused to comply with the inappropriately severe conditions and were kept overnight in remand.
Honenu Attorney Rehavia Piltz, who provided the couple with legal counsel at the police station, stated, “Jews who have a religious appearance have the same rights as any other citizen. It is unthinkable that citizens are given security checks in the capital city only because of their appearance, as if every religious individual is a potential criminal. The only purpose for the outrageous security check and detention was humiliation.”
A deliberation on the couple’s case is scheduled for the morning of Wednesday, November 23. Honenu Attorney Sinaiya Moses-Harizi will represent them.