Decision: Ashdod prisoners for another night in jail

Tonight (Motzaei Shabbos) 12 defendants arrested last Thursday at a rally in Ashdod were brought to the Ashdod Magistrate Court where the prosecution sought to extend their detention until the end of legal proceedings against them.

At the hearing, the prosecution sought to extend the arrest of 12 defendants, until the end of proceedings. The judge did not respond to the request to extend the detention of some of them, and an appeal will be discussed tomorrow (Sunday).

As recalled, on Thursday demonstrations were held in Haredi areas of residence across the country in protest against the arrest of a yeshiva student from Ashdod in respect to non attendance despite military orders sent to his home.

During the demonstrations, 31 suspects were arrested for disturbances, of which: 13 are detained in Ashdod, 15 arrested in Jerusalem and Beit Shemesh, three arrested in Bnei Brak. Until Shabbos 13 charges were filed against the detainees from Ashdod including two minors, detainees in Jerusalem were released under restrictive conditions except one person whose detention was extended until Monday when police intend to file an indictment, and in Bnei Brak detainees were released as well.

The charges filed against 11 adult defendants in Ashdod and another indictment was submitted to the Peace Youth Court against two minors, attributed to defendants illegal gathering, rioting, assaulting a police officer under aggravated circumstances, disturbing a policeman, insulting public officials and other crimes.

However, of all the prisoners, there is one prominent detainee who according to his associates and his family has nothing to do with the demonstrations, and they are outraged at the police and prosecution who hastened to file a crash indictment. Indeed, at the hearing that took place this evening he was the only one released home.

This is a 44 year-old Hasidic resident of Bnei Brak, who arrived in Ashdod while working as a kashrut supervisor, and a year ago still served in the reserves. "How can you blame such a person, he got stuck on this road, and disobeyed the officer who ordered him to drive on the road which was full of demonstrators, for this you accuse a person who served in the military?"

According to the indictment, he "deliberately placed his Toyota vehicle in the center of the road at the intersection, and deliberately blocked the traffic and prevented the evacuation of bystanders by the police. Chief Superintendent Noam Shekel and Officer Ofer Bestiker ordered him to turn his car and drive away, but he pointedly refused to do so, crossed his arms over his head, told police he is staying in his car and went to sit in the standing vehicle. Consequently, they told him he was under arrest and he was asked to accompany the police. He refused to do so and the police had to hold his hands, to remove him by force from the vehicle and bring him to the station."

The family claim that a terrible injustice had been done by those who rushed to indict before clarifying thoroughly his affiliation and views.

Attorney Elkana Bischitz

Attorney Elkana Bischitz, the detainee's lawyer, told Behadrey Haredim following the decision to release him: "Unlike the rest of the detainees, the court released my client and did not accept the prosecution's appeal. The judge accepted my position, and released him under house arrest until another decision. The judge also did not accept the appeal filed against him as the rest of the prisoners, and he will be released in the next few minutes to his home, and tomorrow I will apply to release from this condition as well."

Shabtai Garbertzik, a police spokesman for the Haredi sector told Behadrey Haredim regarding the arrest of the yeshiva student for whom the protests erupted, that "the night between Saturday and Sunday (last week) a car with four young men broke through a police barricade erected near the city of Yokneam. In a brief chase held after them four young people were captured and brought in for questioning. After it emerged that one of the young men was wanted for questioning in the IDF, the issue was transferred to the handling of the relevant parties."

Meanwhile, Rosh Yeshiva of Grodno Hgrd"tz Karelinstein said to one of the detainees was released before Shabbat, after inquiring as to the conditions of detention. "A fabulous privilege fell in your share and may you merit a continued rise in Torah and fear of Heaven."

One of the detainees said that during their stay in the patrol car during the demonstration, detainees memorized divrei Torah from memory.

Shabbos passed for in Hashikma prison for the detainees in Ashkelon, who with the aid of activists, received kosher food with Badatz hechsher and heating plates, but those who are careful not to use electricity on Shabbat ate cold food.

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!