(Illustratvie) Protests against torture
(Illustratvie) Protests against tortureSpokespersons office

A civil lawsuit was filed against the Afula police at the local magistrates court following the beating of a minor that took place during a protest against the brutality of the Israel Security Agency (ISA) against Jewish prisoners.

According to the claim, the minor was struck in the face repeatedly by a police officer, as other officers held him and brought him to a police cruiser.

The protest during which the incident occurred took place at the Tishbi junction, in response to reports of ISA brutality being carried out while investigating the Duma arson case.

During the protest, 18 people were arrested. Some of them reported suffering severe instances of police brutality which included close proximity use of pepper spray.

Attorney Menashe Yado of the Honenu organization filed a civil lawsuit for 32,000 shekels ($8,000) on behalf of a 15-year-old who was arrested during the protest and allegedly struck by a police officer. 

According to the suit, the minor, who was pinned down by three officers against the hood of a police car, was struck twice in the face by a commanding officer. The suit also claims the minor did not resist arrest. 

He was released from prison by the Nazareth Magistrates Court the following day.

“This is a classic case of police brutality against a minor who did not have any prior criminal record, and who had no opportunity to defend himself” Yado wrote in the claim.

“Police brutality certainly applies here, there is no way around it. We should be especially stringent in this case since the violence was committed by the police without any justification. Such violence hurts and embarrasses all of us, and greatly damages the feeling of individual security of all citizens, and the sense of security that citizens have."