Shabak (Internal Security) has been holding two men suspected of "price tag" vandalism under arrest for 4 days, without allowing them to talk to a lawyer. On Thursday night, Shabak extended the ban on the young Jews from consulting a lawyer.
Both men are from Samaria, one from the community of Havat Gilad; they were arrested Tuesday morning.
Yehuda Landsberg, a 25-year-old father of 3 disabled children from the same town, was arrested by Shabak early last week for "price tag" suspicions and was forbidden from seeing a lawyer until this Tuesday.
Friends of the arrested men expressed their anger against the Shabak for "time after time negating the most basic fundamental rights from Jews arrested despite being innocent. They use the most severe and rare measures against them like forbidding them to meet a lawyer, an exceptional step taken to break their spirits and maybe try to force a confession over things they've never done."
Landsberg has not been allowed to see his family, including 3 children suffering from diseases in the blood system. A source familiar with the story told Arutz Sheva that the young father has been harassed by Shabak agents through various means, including the playing of recordings of his children crying.
In response to the cruel treatment, Landsberg reportedly began a hunger strike, a tactic used by Arab terrorists to secure their release in the past.
Attorney Adi Keidar of the Honenu legal aid organization was finally allowed to see Landsberg on Tuesday, and reported "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.”
Landsberg's wife Emunah said "it’s inconceivable that in 2014, Shabak would be holding the father of 3 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."
Just last week a resident of Samaria exposed how Arab residents stage vandalism to blame local Jews, in perhaps the most conclusive proof to date confirming long-held accusations of framing.