Israeli Prison Service Faces Scrutiny Over Use of Flashbangs and Poor Conditions

An Israeli court has criticized the Israel Prison Service (IPS) for its inadequate documentation and justification of using flashbang grenades in prison wings, particularly concerning a detainee accused of spying for Iran. The court noted that while the IPS claimed to have used flashbangs in seven instances over six and a half months in the detainee's wing, the service failed to provide sufficient evidence regarding the circumstances, necessity, or authorization for these uses. The court ruled that the IPS's security procedures for using flashbangs lack clear regulatory frameworks for planned operations, requiring the service to establish clearer guidelines on their purpose, necessity, alternatives, and approval processes.

In a separate incident, a magistrate's court in Hadera also criticized the IPS after a detainee, arrested for illegal entry into Israel, presented severe flea bites covering his body. The judge acknowledged the detainee's condition, stating it warranted a lighter sentence, and expressed that prisons should not inflict additional suffering beyond the deprivation of liberty. The detainee received a reduced sentence of 20 days imprisonment and a fine.

The IPS responded to the flea bite incident by stating the detainee received medical treatment and that the wing underwent professional pest control as part of routine measures. They emphasized their commitment to maintaining sanitary conditions and providing necessary medical care.

These criticisms follow recent scrutiny of detention conditions, including a case involving a detainee transferred from Abu Kabir detention center following alleged disciplinary violations. The IPS stated that such violations are treated with the utmost severity to maintain order and discipline within facilities.