After 10 days under arrest, a 25-year-old father of three from the Shomron (Samaria) community of Havat Gilad has finally been allowed to see a lawyer.
Yehuda Landsberg was arrested by the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) and was denied any contact with his family. He has finally been allowed to meet with attorney Adi Keidar of the Honenu legal aid organization. Earlier reports said he had begun a hunger strike, a tactic that has been used by Arab terrorists to successfully secure their release in the past.
Landsberg is one of three Jewish residents of Judea and Samaria who have been arrested in recent days, the other two being residents of Yitzhar and Elon Moreh who were arrested earlier in the week and have not been allowed to see a lawyer. A gag order has been imposed on the details of the investigation.
Landsberg’s wife, Emunah, called on the Shin Bet and the police to release her husband, not only because he is innocent but also because his handicapped children need him.
"It’s inconceivable that in 2014, the Shin Bet would be holding the father of three disabled children for so long, completely ignoring the situation of the children. I do not know what my husband’s condition is, and I truly hope they are not taking advantage of this sensitive situation to force him to admit things he didn’t do. This worries us very much," she said.
Attorney Keidar told Arutz Sheva on Tuesday, "After nearly ten days in which the suspect was not allowed to meet with me, I met the suspect at the security detention facility. The suspect does not look good, he was brought to the meeting with me in a prisoner’s uniform despite only being a suspect, and his conduct during the conversation was very strange.”
"Under the limitations of the gag order,” continued Keidar, “all I can say is that psychological stress was likely exerted on the suspect that included taking advantage of his personal/family/medical difficulties. This is severe emotional abuse which, once exposed, will shed light on the unacceptable interrogation methods of the Shin Bet and the police.”