Court Slams Prison Service Over Humiliating Treatment of Suspect

The Tel Aviv District Court on Friday accepted a petition filed by attorney Daniel Mirsky on behalf of Agam Zarfati, who is accused of involvement in the murder of Bneiayu Raz. The court rejected the position of the Israel Prison Service (IPS), which recently released humiliating footage of Zarfati during her detention.

The court sharply criticized the actions of the guards in the video, which appeared to show mistreatment of Zarfati, and ordered the IPS to examine the incident. The court also instructed the IPS to review a request to allow Zarfati to speak with her parents, overturning a blanket prohibition.

Furthermore, the court prohibited Zarfati's solitary confinement and reduced the duration of her paired confinement from 30 days to an additional six days. Zarfati, a 19-year-old soldier from Jerusalem, is accused of murder and aggravated assault.

The defense stated, "We expect IPS guards to respect themselves, the law, and Agam's presumption of innocence, while the attempt to place responsibility for the disaster on her young shoulders with a borderline indictment should be decided in court. They should refrain from losing their composure and the low professional standard seen in the video and its leak, which does not honor the IPS and its personnel."

Zarfati was filmed in IPS corridors surrounded by masked combatants with helmets and metal detectors, who were seen searching her personal belongings, including feminine hygiene products. The "exclusive" publication of the video was accompanied by the caption, "Minister Ben-Gvir's policy: Agam Zarfati receives treatment like terrorists."