Knesset Approves Law Mandating Legal Counsel for Minors and Mentally Disabled During Police Interrogations

The Knesset passed a law requiring the presence of a defense attorney during police interrogations of minors and individuals with mental disabilities suspected of crimes. The legislation, initiated by Justice Minister Yariv Levin, was approved in its second and third readings on Tuesday and has now been codified into law. The law aims to strengthen protections for vulnerable populations during police questioning, ensuring suspects understand their legal rights and reducing the risk of false confessions.

Justice Minister Yariv Levin hailed the law as a historic reform aligning Israel with leading democracies. He emphasized that the law will prevent fabricated cases and false confessions, protecting the most vulnerable from arbitrary law enforcement actions. Levin also expressed his intention to expand the requirement for legal counsel presence to other suspect groups in the future.

Levin thanked the Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee chairman, MK Simcha Rothman, and others who contributed to advancing the legislation. MK Michal Waldiger, chair of the Labor and Welfare Committee, described the law as a significant moral and legal amendment that reflects society’s treatment of its weakest members, ensuring their voices are heard and protected.

The law is seen as a crucial step toward fairer police and judicial procedures, prohibiting unlawful interrogation tactics and misuse of technology to extract false confessions. It marks a major advancement in safeguarding basic legal rights and equality before the law for vulnerable suspects in Israel.