The Petah Tikva Magistrates Court was recently forced to release 26 illegal aliens who had been arrested in Jaljulia, following a serious failure by the Israel Police and the Israel Prison Service, Kan 11 News reported on Wednesday.
According to the report, although the court had already approved the prosecution’s request to file indictments against the defendants and sought their detention until the end of legal proceedings, the illegal residents were released due to a breakdown in the procedure that required their appearance before a judge.
During the hearings on extending their detention, it was revealed that the Israel Police and the Prison Service had failed to bring the defendants to the remand extension hearing and had not conducted a video conference, despite an explicit order from the judge in the previous hearing requiring their appearance.
Once it became clear that the detainees had not been brought as required, the judge instructed the Prison Service to ensure they were sent to the courtroom. However, after a two-hour delay, the judge was forced to release the defendants. Ultimately, the court’s administration even deleted the indictments filed against them.
The Israel Police and the Prison Service did not comment on the report.