Salomon Raday Spends 4.5 Years Wrongfully Imprisoned for Murder but Denied Civil Compensation

Salomon Raday was imprisoned for four and a half years under a murder charge he did not commit before being unanimously acquitted by three judges at the District Court. The criminal ruling criticized the scant and insufficient evidence used to indict him and revealed that a police informant was planted in Raday's cell to coerce him into criminal acts. Raday was awarded 600,000 shekels in compensation following the criminal case, with the prosecution acknowledging mistakes and lessons learned.

Despite this, Raday's subsequent civil lawsuit against the state for wrongful detention was completely dismissed by another District Court, which ruled that the original indictment was "reasonable," thereby denying him any civil compensation. This contradictory legal outcome has severely worsened Raday's mental health, leaving him traumatized and in ongoing distress. Raday described his suffering, stating, "Every day I die and wake up again," and revealed he has no family or social support and has attempted suicide multiple times while imprisoned.

Raday's legal team has appealed the civil case dismissal to the Supreme Court, but the hearing is scheduled only for March 2028, nearly two years after the appeal was filed. His attorney, Eli Helem, highlighted the absurdity of the situation, noting the conflicting District Court rulings and the grave violation of Raday's rights after spending years wrongfully incarcerated.

This case underscores the complexities and contradictions within Israel's legal system regarding wrongful convictions and compensation, raising questions about accountability and support for those unjustly imprisoned.