Thursday, March 2, 2017, 20:50 An approximately 14-year-old youth’s arm was broken in
Injured minor; Photo credit: Honenu
a severe assault by a policeman. The youth was detained and evacuated to hospital for medical care without his parents’ knowledge. Honenu filed an urgent request with the court for his release. Honenu Attorney Moshe Poleski: “The person who should be in remand tonight is the policeman, not the youth.”
An approximately 14 year old youth was severely assaulted near Kochav HaShachar on the morning of Thursday, March 2 by a policeman from the Central Unit of the Yehuda and Shomron Police. The minor was injured and evacuated accompanied by policemen to the Hadassa Mt. Scopus Hospital in Jerusalem where he was diagnosed with a broken arm.
At the hospital the policemen refused to allow the minor to inform his parents that he had been evacuated. Passers-by assisted him and contacted Honenu, who immediately contacted the minor’s parents and sent an attorney to the hospital. After several hours the minor was released from hospital and taken into remand by the policemen under suspicion of assaulting policemen. On the evening of the same day Honenu Attorney Ze’ev Wolf filed an urgent appeal with the Jerusalem Magistrate Court demanding the release of the minor.
The serious incident occurred at Givat HaBaladim near Kochav HaShachar. Residents of the community said that, “This morning several policemen arrived at the site, as part of their constantly repeated harassments of us. They entered homes and demanded that the youths present ID cards. We asked them to leave the site and in response they decided to detain one of the youths.”
“A policeman by the name Ofer Revivo grabbed the youth and began to pull him roughly. One youth turned to him and said, ‘No violence’. In response the policeman began to assault the youth roughly, threw him to the ground, kicked him as he screamed from the pain, and the youth shouted, ‘You broke my arm’. After that they handcuffed the youth and detained him. The policeman simply lost his senses and acted crazy,” described one of the residents.
Honenu: “This is a incident of severe assault on a minor by a policeman against whom several complaints of assault have already been filed. We intend to file a complaint with the Police Investigation Unit and also file a suit against the violent policeman so that he will be penalized to the full extent of the law.”
Honenu Attorney Moshe Poleski: “This was a false detention in order to cover up for the police brutality. The youth did not do anything. The policeman brutally shattered his arm. The person who should be in remand tonight is the policeman, not the youth.”
Knesset Member Betzalel Smotrich, who is assisting with the handling of the case: “The video clip and the photographs are very troubling and should keep sleep from anyone for whom democracy and human rights are important. Police brutality is a scourge which must be eradicated. Violent policemen should be behind bars. I call on the Police Commissioner and the Internal Security Minister to investigate this incident with alacrity and efficiency and to penalize corrupt policemen to the full extent of the law.”