Honenu Attorney Nati Rom; Photo credit: Honenu
Wednesday, March 10, 2021, 21:46 On Wednesday, March 10, four youths were detained and brutally beaten by detectives from the Central Unit of the Yehuda and Shomron Police at the Oz Tzion outpost in the Binyamin region. Outside of the synagogue, the detectives harassed youths living at the site and then for no reason demanded that they present their identification cards. The youths asked the detectives why they had to identify themselves and in response the detectives jumped on them and brutally beat them. Then the detectives handcuffed the youths and dragged them on the ground as they detained them. Documentation from the police station shows severe signs of the violence that the youths suffered and many injuries on the youths’ bodies, evidence of police brutality. The youths are scheduled to be brought to court the following day.
Honenu Attorney Nati Rom arrived at the police station to assist the youths: “Unfortunately we have again witnessed police provocation in the hilltop communities of Yehuda and Shomron. Today detectives from the Central Unit of the Yehuda and Shomron Police came to the young community of Oz Tzion and harassed youths who were studying Torah in the synagogue. The detectives started to question them and to demand their identification cards, which is contrary to a court ruling which states that a policeman does not have the authority to question anyone or demand identifying details, as long as there is not a reasonable suspicion that a crime has been committed.”
Rom added that “unfortunately, their plan succeeded. After the youths refused to identify themselves the detectives beat them and dragged them. Some of the detainees have signs of the violence on all parts of their body. We hope that this harassment will immediately stop and that this time the Police Investigations Unit will thoroughly investigate and ensure that the violent policemen are prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”
Earlier the same day (Wednesday) at Kochav HaShahar detectives from the Central Unit of the Yehuda and Shomron Police removed a couple and their baby from their car, and then impounded it, without presenting a warrant or providing an explanation. The detectives were filmed shattering a car window on the woman and the baby and also assaulting residents who demonstrated in protest of the police conduct.