Wednesday, April 25, 2018, 11:13 Honenu responded to the verdict handed down by the Jerusalem District Court which sent border policeman Ben Deri to nine months in prison.
Ben Deri was convicted in a plea bargain of causing the death of a rioter near the town of Beitunia in the course of an operational activity quelling mass disturbances on Naqba Day in May 2014. See more here.
Outside of the courthouse, Shmuel Meidad, Honenu director (right), Ben Deri (left); Photo credit: Honenu
Honenu has been assisting Deri with legal counsel and said that, “It is an embarrassment and a disgrace that a soldier who was there for the sake of all of us should find himself sent for long months in prison. Once again the system has confused friend with enemy. It is a disgrace that one of our soldiers is going to prison for an act such as this.”
Attorney Tzion Amir, who is representing the soldier, stated that, “On one hand I am very pleased with the moderate penalty. However throughout the entire process I was not completely in agreement with the defendant’s desire to reach a plea bargain. We reasoned that the evidence in the case should lead to a complete exoneration, not only of manslaughter.” Amir added, “He will serve several months in prison and put this matter behind him.”