Israel Police has reached a settlement with a group of protesters who sued it after alleging they were strip-searched following detention for questioning. The agreement, which was given the force of a court judgment on Monday, requires the police to pay a total of NIS 624,000 to 13 protesters.
The settlement says the payment is made "as an exception, without admitting the plaintiffs' claims, and in order to fully and finally resolve all the plaintiffs' claims." The protesters had argued that their rights were violated and sought compensation from the police.
The Detained Protesters Network said the case was proof that illegal strip searches must stop. "No matter how many times it is said that strip searches are illegal, the police continued to carry out Itamar Ben Gvir's orders and abuse protesters. Now, we have put an end to it. Either the police stop the strip searches, or they pay every time," the group said.
Attorney Oren Goldberg called the settlement a precedent and said it reflects a wider, dangerous pattern of shrinking freedom of expression and protest through improper criminal enforcement. He said there are "hundreds, if not thousands" of similar cases involving protesters harmed by unlawful use of police powers. The group said 16 protesters have already received financial compensation in the past year. The article also cites past complaints, including one from September by protester Ranana Kidar, who said she was handcuffed and later told to undress at a police station after demonstrating near the home of minister Nir Barkat.
