Mother Denied Daughter's Fingerprint for Memorial Jewelry
Translated & summarized from Ynet by baba
Galia Hushen sought her daughter Hadar's fingerprint for memorial jewelry after Hadar was killed at the Nova festival. The Ministry of Interior denied the request, citing laws prohibiting data release, and alternative methods failed. A court recently dismissed Hushen's petition, stating it was bound by law, but has ordered the preservation of the fingerprints for five years to allow for potential legislative changes.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Galia Hushen was denied her deceased daughter Hadar's fingerprint for memorial jewelry by Israeli authorities.
- The Ministry of Interior cited laws prohibiting the release of biometric data, even for memorial purposes.
- A court dismissed Hushen's petition, acknowledging the emotional plea but adhering to legal restrictions.
- The family sought alternative methods, including obtaining prints from ID cards, which were also rejected.
- The court ordered the preservation of the fingerprints for five years to allow for legislative action.
Galia Hushen is grappling with the loss of her daughter Hadar, who was murdered at the Nova music festival. Three years later, Hushen is seeking to create a piece of jewelry bearing Hadar's fingerprint as a tangible memento. The desire for this specific keepsake is amplified by the fact that Hadar was identified ten days after her death through DNA, not fingerprints, leaving the family unaware of her body's condition.
Hushen's attempt to obtain Hadar's fingerprint from the biometric database at the Ministry of Interior was met with refusal, as current law prohibits the release of such data to individuals. The family also explored alternative methods, including a forensic identification investigator attempting to find Hadar's prints on her belongings, but this proved impossible due to the passage of time and family members' contact with the items.
Legal aid provided assistance, with lawyer Michal Pomerantz representing the family. They proposed creative solutions, such as receiving a partial or altered fingerprint, or obtaining it from Hadar's ID card or passport chip, but these were rejected as they did not overcome the legal prohibition.
The urgency of the matter increased when the family learned the state intended to replace the fingerprint database with facial recognition, though the October 7th events delayed this. The family filed an administrative petition, which was recently dismissed by the District Court. The court acknowledged the emotional weight of the request but stated it was bound by existing law, which does not allow for discretion in such cases.
Despite the legal setback, the court's ruling leaves open the possibility of legislative change. Legal aid official Daniel Raz noted that the law did not consider the emotional aspect of such requests. The court has ordered the Ministry of Interior to preserve Hadar's and her father's fingerprints for five years to allow the family to pursue legislative solutions.