Warrant canceled, student arrested nonetheless

Wednesday, April 4, 17:48 This morning, a judge at the Jerusalem Magistrate Court canceled the arrest warrant for Y., a yeshiva student at Yeshivat Mercaz HaRav in Jerusalem. However, police from the Central Unit of the Yehuda and Shomron Police arrived at the yeshiva with an arrest warrant, located Y’s room, conducted a search and took him into remand.
Y. had been tried and convicted of “insulting a religion” after insulting a Christian clergyman. Y. did not appear at one of the deliberations on the case and therefore an arrest warrant had been issued against him. After a request to cancel the warrant was filed by Honenu attorney Rehavia Piltz, Y. appeared this morning at the Jerusalem Magistrate Court and was released on his own recognizance after agreeing to appear at future deliberations on his case. Afterwards, the judge canceled his arrest warrant. That did not prevent the policemen from the Central Unit of the Yehuda and Shomron Police from arriving at the yeshiva and arresting Y. after searching his room.
Y.’s assertions that the warrant had been canceled did not convince the police and he was taken to the Ma’aleh Adumim police station.
When Honenu contacted the police station, they were informed that the police had not been aware that the warrant had been canceled by the judge in the morning and that Y. would be released shortly.