Three relatives jailed for scheming to pressure an alleged rape victim to change her testimony

The Nazareth District Court in Nof HaGalil on Thursday sentenced three relatives of a man accused in a rape case for harassing an alleged sexual-assault victim, influencing her testimony and obstructing justice. The court said the conduct was sophisticated and carefully planned, aimed at gathering information about the victim and affecting her evidence in court.

The main defendant, Zohara Hymer, received four years in prison. Her daughter, Keren Bar Goldstein, was sentenced to 10 months, and Doron Mordechai got eight months, which may be served as community labor. All three were also ordered to compensate the victim.

According to the verdict, Hymer, who is the aunt of Or Malul, one of the defendants in the rape case, rented an apartment near the victim, concealed her family connection, and spent weeks winning the victim’s trust. She collected details about the victim’s life and the criminal proceedings, and recorded conversations with her without her knowledge. She also told the victim personal stories, including a claimed rape she herself had suffered, to encourage the victim to open up about the assault case.

The court said the group then carried out a staged “fortune-telling” session, in which Bar Goldstein pretended to read cards and described the alleged rape in a way that contradicted the victim’s police statement, hoping to make her change her version and reduce the relative’s role. The judges ruled that this was a full, coordinated campaign to intimidate a witness, harming both the victim and the integrity of the justice system. They added that the later acquittal of the defendant in the rape case does not lessen the seriousness of the interference or the criminal responsibility of the three.

After sentencing, the victim said the result was welcome but could not erase the harm. She said many victims fear reporting abuse because they worry about harassment, and called the court’s recognition of what happened “a little relief for the soul.” Prosecutors and the Legal Aid representative said the verdict sends a clear message that the system will protect victims and punish anyone who tries to turn criminal proceedings into another tool of harm.