The IDF clarified today (Wednesday) that the soldier who filed a petition with the High Court of Justice against the prison sentence he received was not tried for wearing a “Messiah patch," but rather for a disciplinary offense.
“The soldier was tried for an offense of harming discipline, and not for a violation related to appearance and dress code. According to the military disciplinary regulations, a senior judicial officer holding the rank of colonel is authorized to impose up to 30 days of military imprisonment for such an offense. The IDF responded directly to the appeal submitted yesterday afternoon by the soldier’s legal representative," the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said in a statement.
Earlier, the soldier filed an urgent petition with the High Court against IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir and against the Military Advocate General, just one day after his sentence was reduced by the regional commander by ten days, leaving him with 20 days of actual military imprisonment.
In the petition, the soldier reiterated through his attorney, Ran Cohen-Rochberger, that his detention inside a military prison is fundamentally unlawful.
According to the legal defense’s argument, the commander of the Nahal Brigade lacked legal authority to impose the sentence, since existing IDF regulations do not permit a combat soldier to receive such a lengthy and severe imprisonment sentence for a disciplinary offense involving only “appearance and dress" for a first-time offense.
Claiming what they described as systemic indifference and insensitivity by senior IDF command, parents of soldiers from the Nahal Brigade announced that they intend to significantly escalate protests and demonstrations in the coming days and bring them directly to the homes and offices of senior military decision-makers.
“We will not be silent and we will not rest. The system is abandoning its soldiers and harming the spearhead of the IDF because of ego and pettiness. We demand immediate intervention - release the soldier from prison immediately!" the parents’ protest headquarters said in a statement.