Tel Aviv court bans solitary confinement of defendant — Jerusalem Post
The Tel Aviv District Court in Israel has prohibited the Israel Prison Service from holding 19-year-old Agam Tsarafi in a solitary cell. The court also limited to a further six days the period of her separation from the general prison population, The Jerusalem Post reports.
Tsarafi is accused of intentional murder and causing grievous bodily harm in the case of the death of 19-year-old Benyahu Razi in July in an apartment in Jerusalem. According to the prosecution, she and Shilat Huta helped organize an attack carried out by four minors. All six people are accused in the case, and proceedings at the Jerusalem District Court are ongoing.
Decision on detention conditions
Judge Gilad Hess said that the actions taken against Tsarafi in a video circulated from the detention facility appeared excessive, harmed her dignity, and had no real justification. In the footage, she was handcuffed behind her back and bent forward as masked officers escorted her through the facility.
The judge also stated that, where possible, male officers should not physically escort a detained woman. At the same time, he stressed that this assessment is not a final ruling on all of the defense's claims concerning the escort, the use of handcuffs, and the distribution of the video.
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The Prison Service may continue to hold Tsarafi separately from other prisoners, but must place her with at least one other detainee. After six days, the need for this regime must be reviewed unless new intelligence information emerges.
Call restrictions remain in force
At the same time, the court largely upheld the Israel Prison Service's ban on telephone calls. After reviewing classified materials from the prison service and police, the judge found that the restriction was based on reliable and corroborated information, and that even monitored calls could undermine its purpose.
The general ban on telephone conversations remains in force, but Tsarafi's lawyers may file a separate request for permission for a call, including to her parents. The Prison Service said it did not publish the video or authorize its distribution and is also examining the circumstances. The court did not determine who filmed and distributed the footage, noting that this requires separate legal proceedings.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir had previously defended the prison service's actions. According to him, Tsarafi violated order and behaved improperly toward other inmates and facility staff.
