The Magistrate's Court recently heard a police request to extend the detention of a 21-year-old resident of Aqraba, near Nablus, until the conclusion of proceedings. The defendant is charged with illegal entry into Israel, burglary of a wine bar in Tel Aviv, and property damage. According to the indictment, the suspect was caught with stolen laptops valued at approximately 4,000 NIS. While the defendant admitted to entering Israel without a permit, he denied the burglary allegations, claiming he found the equipment on a street table.
The hearing focused on the circumstances of the arrest after the defendant arrived at the hospital with severe facial and dental injuries, necessitating a liquid diet for six weeks. Defense attorney Hagit Rachmani from the Public Defender's Office argued that police used excessive force. The police representative submitted an incident report claiming the suspect resisted arrest, leading to a struggle, and noted there was no bodycam footage. Judge Benjamin Hirschl-Doron criticized the police account given the medical findings, stating it is difficult to reconcile the reports with the suspect's visible injuries.
The court emphasized that this does not constitute a finding that police assaulted the suspect, but noted the significant discrepancy requires investigation. Given the suspect's clean record, the court found the risk to public safety relatively low and ordered his release on bail. The police stated the suspect was caught in the act and noted the allegations of force were referred to the Police Investigation Department (PID). The defendant has filed an official complaint with the PID. The court's decision was not appealed, and the defendant was released under the specified conditions.