Israeli Supreme Court Orders State to Justify Limits on Lawyer Access for Detainees

An expanded panel of Israel’s Supreme Court, sitting as the High Court of Justice, issued a show-cause order on Wednesday against the Knesset, the government, the prime minister, the defense minister, the IDF and the Shin Bet. The court told the state and security authorities to explain why disputed provisions should not be canceled or amended.

The order, signed by Supreme Court President Isaac Amit and Justices Daphne Barak-Erez and Ruth Ronen, came in response to a petition filed by human rights groups, including the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel, Physicians for Human Rights, HaMoked, Gisha and Adalah. The groups are challenging key parts of the law governing the detention of unlawful combatants.

At issue are temporary provisions that significantly extend the period before detainees receive judicial review and also allow authorities to prolong the denial of meetings with a lawyer. The court said the challenged sections are now under sharp constitutional scrutiny and substantially toughen both detention conditions and legal rights for those held under the law.

The decision comes amid heightened security tensions and reflects the court’s demand that the state justify why these measures, which affect detainees held without prompt court oversight and without lawyer access, should remain in force.