Honenu is an organization that now specializes in providing free legal defense to people charged with crimes in the framework of opposing the disengagement plan. Almost every one of the hundreds of youths arrested for blocking roads over the past several weeks, for instance, has been represented by lawyers hired by Honenu.
The organization is also active in defending those who face legal difficulties resulting from their acts of self-defense in response to Arab attacks.
Shmuel Medad, director of Honenu, told Arutz-7 today that the threats by the Public Defense officials are a "gross abrogation of civil rights." He said it is the mission of both the Public Defense and Honenu to provide legal representation to citizens, and that these threats serve to restrict the aid that can be offered them.
The Justice Ministry's website states, "The Public Defense Law of 1995 ordered the establishment of the public defense, whose task it is to provide proper representation to all suspects, detainees, and defendants who are eligible for legal aid in criminal proceedings."
Medad said, "We have had fine cooperation with the Public Defense, and in some cases - sometimes at their initiative - we have even hired its attorneys ourselves. A few lawyers have told me, however, that they have been told straight out that if they ever want to be hired by the Public Defense again, they had better not accept jobs with Honenu. And this has been confirmed by people within the Public Defender's office as well."
Q. "Are Public Defense attorneys allowed to take outside jobs?"
A. "Of course! Some Public Defense lawyers work for them full-time, but most of them are just part-time, and they may work wherever else they want. This is a blatant violation of civil rights, in that it restricts the lawyers' freedom of occupation. In addition, it could affect the citizens' rights to be represented by lawyers of their choice."
"We are an organization that is based on contributions, as well as the finacial appreciation of those we have helped in the past. We have to hire many lawyers, and we don't have the funds to hire whoever we want. If the Public Defense is going to scare off those who work with us, the citizens will suffer."
"In addition," Medad said, "we have the feeling that someone in the Justice Ministry is giving instructions to the Public Defense regarding the types of claims that the lawyers may make on behalf of their clients. The result is that the arrestees won't get the right representation."
"This is just another collapse of a branch of society to the dictatorial whims of the government - first the Knesset, and the media, and the courts, and now the Justice Ministry [of which the Public Defense is a part]."
Arutz-7's call to the head of the Public Defender's Office, Inbal Rubenstein, had not been returned by press time.
Click Here to Visit Gush Katif via Arutz-7's Interactive Map and Virtual Video
The organization is also active in defending those who face legal difficulties resulting from their acts of self-defense in response to Arab attacks.
Shmuel Medad, director of Honenu, told Arutz-7 today that the threats by the Public Defense officials are a "gross abrogation of civil rights." He said it is the mission of both the Public Defense and Honenu to provide legal representation to citizens, and that these threats serve to restrict the aid that can be offered them.
The Justice Ministry's website states, "The Public Defense Law of 1995 ordered the establishment of the public defense, whose task it is to provide proper representation to all suspects, detainees, and defendants who are eligible for legal aid in criminal proceedings."
Medad said, "We have had fine cooperation with the Public Defense, and in some cases - sometimes at their initiative - we have even hired its attorneys ourselves. A few lawyers have told me, however, that they have been told straight out that if they ever want to be hired by the Public Defense again, they had better not accept jobs with Honenu. And this has been confirmed by people within the Public Defender's office as well."
Q. "Are Public Defense attorneys allowed to take outside jobs?"
A. "Of course! Some Public Defense lawyers work for them full-time, but most of them are just part-time, and they may work wherever else they want. This is a blatant violation of civil rights, in that it restricts the lawyers' freedom of occupation. In addition, it could affect the citizens' rights to be represented by lawyers of their choice."
"We are an organization that is based on contributions, as well as the finacial appreciation of those we have helped in the past. We have to hire many lawyers, and we don't have the funds to hire whoever we want. If the Public Defense is going to scare off those who work with us, the citizens will suffer."
"In addition," Medad said, "we have the feeling that someone in the Justice Ministry is giving instructions to the Public Defense regarding the types of claims that the lawyers may make on behalf of their clients. The result is that the arrestees won't get the right representation."
"This is just another collapse of a branch of society to the dictatorial whims of the government - first the Knesset, and the media, and the courts, and now the Justice Ministry [of which the Public Defense is a part]."
Arutz-7's call to the head of the Public Defender's Office, Inbal Rubenstein, had not been returned by press time.
Click Here to Visit Gush Katif via Arutz-7's Interactive Map and Virtual Video