Opposite Minister Ohana’s residence; Photo credit: Ahava Shimon
See here for a list of posts connected to the case.
Tuesday, January 5, 2021
8:57 Wake up call for Minister Ohana: “Launch an investigative committee!”
On the morning of Tuesday, January 5, a group of women went to the home of Minister Ohana in Tel Aviv and woke him up by calling over an amplification system for him to wake up and form a committee to investigate the circumstances of the death of Ahuvia Sandak, z”l.
One of the women asked: “The road on which the car overturned has a network of security cameras. Why are the police not letting us see what happened there? What are they hiding? Why can’t we see what happened there? We demand an investigative committee and we demand an end to the despicable abuse of hilltop youth. You are responsible for it and it doesn’t seem like you are doing anything about it.”
Another asked: “What about the cameras, Amir Ohana? We want justice! If everything is all right and the policemen acted according to the law, what is the problem with showing us the video clips? Why are you hiding them and covering up the death of a youth? Why are you not investigating? Because he had a big kippa and payot?
“There are sectors in this country with whom for some reason it is permissible to do whatever one wants. Social justice warriors, we’re calling on you today. If democracy is so important to you, be honest. Be honest with yourselves and join us in demanding an external investigative committee!”
Policemen arrived on the scene and distanced the women from Minister Ohana’s residence. The women related that they would continue their campaign until an investigative committee is formed and there is no cover-up of Ahuvia’s death.
9:10 Five demonstrators detained last night (Monday)
Honenu Attorneys assisted the detainees, four of whom were detained in Jerusalem. The fifth was detained at the Shilo Junction.
Demonstrations were held at approximately 20 locations throughout Israel – Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Kiryat Malachi, Givatayim, Nof HaGalil, the Gush Etzion Junction, Beit Shemesh, Tzfat, several intersections in the Shomron, and more. Hundreds of protesters participated, calling for an external investigation of the conduct of the Central Unit of the Yehuda and Shomron Police and the death of Ahuvia, z”l.
12:08 Severe police brutality towards ten-year-old
A video clip documented a shocking incident at the Shilo Junction demonstration on Monday, January 4. A policeman roughly grabbed a ten-year-old boy who was standing on the sidewalk, lifted him into the air, and brought him to a police car as demonstrators called out “What are you doing?” and “You’re not normal!”
An eyewitness to the incident said that just as the boy was taken to the police car, a car passing through the intersection saw the detention and stopped. The passengers spoke to the policeman, convinced him to release the boy and then drove the boy home.
Honenu Attorney Nati Rom: “We are encountering use of force against and detention of young children more and more. A violent detention of a ten-year-old, who is under the age of criminal culpability, is of course illegal.”
Police brutality; Video credit: Chayim Shoham
12:44 Ahuvia’s parents to the Deputy AG: Recuse the head of the PIU from the investigation
On behalf of the Sandak family, Honenu Attorney Menashe Yado, who is representing the family, sent an urgent letter to the Deputy Attorney General for Criminal Affairs, Shlomo (Mumi) Lemberger, demanding that he recuse the head of the Police Investigation Unit (PIU), Keren Bar-Menachem, from the investigation of the death of Ahuvia Sandak, z”l. See here for details.
14:34 Press conference to take place later today
The Sandaks’ attorneys, Ariel Atari, Beni Katz, Adi Keidar, Menashe Yado, and Nati Rom, will hold a press conference this evening at 18:00 in Jerusalem to update the public concerning the serious flaws in the investigation of the death of Ahuvia, z”l, and the legal proceedings which have been completed as of now. They will also announce the next step in the campaign to uncover the truth and stop the police cover-up regarding the death.
The press conference will take place in Jerusalem at 18:00. Coronavirus restrictions will be observed. The exact location will be announced shortly.
15:23 The press conference will take place at 18:00, today, at 11 Beit Defus Street, Lobby A, 1st Floor.
18:57 Request to appoint judge to investigate Ahuvia’s death
A short time ago, the Sandak family’s attorneys held a press conference in Jerusalem at which they announced that they would file a request with the court to appoint an investigative judge, according to section 19 of the Cause of Death Investigation Law, tomorrow.
Honenu Attorney Ariel Atari will file the request with the Jerusalem Magistrates Court. The request details the flaws in the investigation, the concern regarding a biased investigation, and the grounds for obligating the court to accept the request and to order the appointment of a judge to investigate the death of Ahuvia Sandak, z”l.
21:04 Day 16 of protests following the death of Ahuvia Sandak, z”l
This evening, over two weeks after the death of Ahuvia Sandak, z”l, hundreds of demonstrators are protesting throughout Israel again. Dozens are protesting opposite the Nation Headquarters of the Israeli Police in Jerusalem. The street is intermittently blocked. At this time demonstrators are being held at the Kedumim Junction, in Tzfat, at the Kibbutzim Junction, in Modi’in Elit, at several intersections in Yehuda and Shomron and other locations. At a demonstration in Ariel, Honenu Attorneys are assisting an approximately 15-year-old detained youth.