Since the death of Ahuvia Sandak, z”l, who was tragically killed in a police car chase on Tevet 6 5781/ December 21, 2020, Honenu has been representing those who are insisting on the investigation of the incident and defending the many who are detained while demonstrating for change in police behavior. The car Ahuvia was in with four other boys overturned when the police car collided with it from behind. Please click here for a list of posts connected to the case.
Wednesday, January 10, 2024, 10:09 Honenu Attorney Menashe Yado filed a 30,000 NIS suit against the police with the Jerusalem Magistrates Court on behalf of a 17-year-old Binyamin resident who was detained two weeks ago at a protest in Jerusalem marking three years since the death of Ahuvia Sandak, z”l. During her detention, she was brutally beaten by policewomen (see video below).
Brutal detention; Video credit: Naomi Rachelis
In the statement of claim, Attorney Yado described the violent treatment: “On December 25, 2023, the claimant arrived at the String Bridge to join a protest marking the third anniversary of the tragic and unjustified death of Ahuvia Sandak, z”l, in a police chase. Although the legality of the claimant’s detention is doubtful, after she was detained by force, she was led to a police car where she curled up in the fetal position to protect herself as a policewoman bent over her. Apparently, the policewoman had not yet calmed down from the brutal detention, and beat the detainee, including punches to her head and face. The claimant closed her eyes and did not see exactly who beat her. She felt that two policewomen were involved in her beating. She only curled up to protect herself. Many friends of the claimant saw [the beating] from the outside and despite the throng of police officers one of them succeeded in photographing some of the punches unjustifiably received by the claimant in the police car.”
Attorney Yado cited that the claimant did not resist detention, which further emphasizes the severity of the unjustified force used against her: “What is particularly noteworthy is that after she was beaten, as described above, the claimant did not struggle at all, which indicates that she was not violent in the police car and did not pose any danger. The violence was not applied because of her resistance to handcuffing, or any other obvious reason. The following day, the court released the claimant from remand and, very unusually, rejected the police request to delay the release.”
Honenu Attorney Menashe Yado stated, “One’s heart refuses to believe the terrible injustice that the investigating authorities are committing with the cover-up of the circumstances surrounding the death of Ahuvia Sandak, z”l. This is a crime worthy of demonstrations. We will do everything in our power to safeguard the right to protest in this setting.”