Police And Prison Authorities Mistreat Young Jewish Girls

Erev Shabbat Parshat Shmini/Parah 5768

IsraelJustice.com reports:

Police And Prison Authorities Mistreat Young Jewish Girls

JERUSALEM -- For the young Jewish girl, Z., her night in jail was an experience she never learned in school.

Arrested at an anti-government demonstration, the Jewish teenager learned first-hand that the harsh policy of the government of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert against Jewish dissent.

In treatment that jurists deemed harsher than that for alleged violent criminals, Z. and her friends were denied food, water and medical treatment and thrown into horrible conditions.

"They [police] took me to the jail in the Russian Compound [in Jerusalem] and I waited with the other two girls in a very small room with bars on the window," Z. said. "After a long wait, they took me for a body search." Z. recounted that she spent much of the night being shunted back and forth between the police station and the jail.

"Then they put me in a room while they looked for a holding cell with an old blanket and a mattress," Z. said. "Then they put me in a cell with two other girls and an old woman. She smoked all the time and I couldn't breathe."

Z.'s account has been verified by the Israel Bar Association. In a report by the Prisons Service Committee of the Israel Bar Association, the conditions in which Z. and four girls arrested with her were held were deemed "inhumane."

The conditions of their imprisonment are "harsh, inhumane and illegal," the report said.

The report said that police and prison guards had conditioned food, water and medical attention on the minors agreeing to identify themselves.

"Medical attention and food and water were conditioned on the disclosure of the girls' identities," the report said. "Such conditions are baseless and are a serious violation of their rights."

The report also detailed how the girls were given "stinky, soiled, military blankets" and they shared a cell with an adult woman who was a chain smoke. The cell "was full of cigarette smoke and had no ventilation aperture," the report said.

The five girls, ranging in age from 14 to 17, were arrested on March 16 at the end of a demonstration on Jerusalem's Promenade, located in the East Talpiot neighborhood. The demonstration was in protest against the government's refusal to destroy the home in the adjoining neighborhood of Jabal Mukhaber of the Arab attacker, Ala Abu Dheim, who killed eight Jewish teenagers on March 6 in the Mercaz Harav seminary in Jerusalem.

Witnesses said that most of the 22 people arrested at the demonstration were minors and were simply grabbed by police.

Z. said they were given some bread and water during the night but prison wardens and police threatened them that food and water and medical attention would be withheld if they didn't identify themselves.

"Early in the morning they woke us up to stand to attention and told us that we had to go to court," Z. said. "I sat there waiting for them but they didn't come and at 10.00 am they gave us two slices of bread and a cucumber."

Z., who had sustained injuries during the demonstration, complained to prison guards that she was feeling sick but was denied medical treatment.

"I was sick so I asked for tea from the prison guard, Z. said. "He told me there weren't any cups so he gave me tea in the cup belonging to the old woman in the cell and she was angry with me."

Z. said that prison guards assured her that she would be able to see the doctor but then said he was unavailable. "We were supposed to see the doctor and he would be able to get me a cup of tea," Z. said, "but they [prison wardens] told me that he wasn't available."

Z. said that they were given stale pasta but later forced to eat with their hands. "Then they [prison guards] gave us some old yellow spaghetti to eat," Z. said. "Then a female prison guard said that if we didn't identify ourselves, we wouldn't get any more food to eat. After we finished eating we threw out our plastic spoons."

Z. said that the situation improved after two attorneys from the Israel Bar Association spoke with the girls. "Then the two lawyers came and they [prison guards] gave us some more food," Z. said. "We asked for more spoons but the prison warden told us that we had thrown out our spoons and now would have to eat with our hands."

Police can hold people for up to 24 hours before bringing them before a judge to extend their remand and Z. was released 20 hours after her arrest.

"Then they called me to sign the agreement and put me in a closed room and shut the window slit," Z. said. "I waited for hours for someone to get me out."

Police later admitted to a Jerusalem magistrate that there was no reason for the arrest of the girls.

The Prison Services Committee, headed by attorney Michael Attiya, has recommended submitting the report to Public Security Minister Avi Dichter, Justice Minister Daniel Friedmann and Attorney General Menachem Mazuz to correct the civil rights violations.

Daughters Of Zion Video

16 Shevat 5768


The following video was recently produced to publicize the plight of young Jewish prisoners, who up until recently were held in prison for refusing to participate with the corrupt, Israeli Judicial system. One 16-year-old is still being held. The video exposes the Israeli prison system, which is abusive to religious activists.




This video also has the goal of publicizing the Jewish People's struggle for its Homeland.



Thanks to Voice Of Judea for the video link.



Those interviewed or who provide commentary include Nadia Matar of Women In Green, Rabbi Yeshayahu Hollander, of the nascent Sanhedrin, Prof. Hillel Weiss, and a young activist encouraging her friends to maintain their faith and hope.



The introduction to the video reads:



"Young female religious teens were held in jail for almost one month for refusal to recognize the corrupt government system. Their crime: ... all » being on a hilltop in Judea - Samaria, Israel. One girl is still in jail since Dec. 5, '08. They placed her in solitary confinement to break her. She is 18 years old. She needs your help. Here is their story and their jail conditions, motivation and determination."



Several young women attempt to block the police van carrying their friends. Please keep in mind that it is a violation of the girls right to be handled by male law enforcement officers.

Although all but one of the girls have been released, there are still expenses to be covered.


To help contribute to the emergency campaign for their release:


From the U. S. 011-962-54-489-6709


From Israel 054-489-6709


mishallyisrael@yahoo.com

Cross posted on the B'nai Elim Blog

Daughters Of Zion

9 Shevat 5768



Some of our sisters and daughters are still being held in the Neveh Tirtzah Women's Prison. They were taken in for entering what the government calls "closed military area," Givat Or, a hilltop next to Bet-El. These young women have refused to identify themselves to the secular criminal justice system, whose authority they do not recognize.



Batya at Shilo Musings has been doing her own investigation, and has found that these young women may only have been at the wrong place at the wrong time.

This is actually a repeat of two previous incidents. Back in 5765 (2005), three teen girls from K'far Tapu'ah were arrested for civil disobedience, protesting the impending expulsion of Jews from Azza. These three also refused to recognize the authority of the secular courts. As time passed the courts realized that they could not get away with the double standard they were perpetrating. They were holding three teen girls for civil disobedience until trial; whereas suspected perpetrators of violent crimes were given house arrest or released on bail.



The courts attempting to send them to a religious Kibbutz for "re-education" until their trial date. (Yes! That was the term used!) To the girls' credit, they refused, citing that the level of religious observance was not acceptable to them. The courts were willing to send them to a religious kibbutz, as they know full well that the State-loyalty indoctrination is just as effective in such a setting as in a secular setting. The courts eventually set a compromise, and released the girls' into the custody of on the girl's grandparents, living in the Greater Tel-Aviv Area. Releasing them back into the custody of their parents was not an option, as the judge believed the girls to pose a "dangerous influence" on their town. Yes, those were the judge's words.



More recently, Tirtzah Sariel face a similar ordeal. She also suffered for her failure to recognize the secular courts which enforced laws going against Torah.



And now, the government has resulted to even more treacherous deeds of,...yes, I will call it torture. That is essentially what it is. They are that desperate, and fearful of the power of faith in HaShem and dedication to the observance of His Torah, that this what they must stoup to.

Police Abused Young Religious Girls in Prison



(IsraelNN.com) Police forced several girls under the age of 16 to strip in prison, where they have been held under harsh conditions and without being charged, their parents charged. Police also allegedly woke them up repeatedly in order to deprive them of sleep in an attempt to break their determination not to identify themselves.



Judges have allowed the police to incarcerate the seven girls, ages 13 to 15, for entering a closed military zone and trying to establish a new hilltop community near Beit El, north of Jerusalem. The girls have refused to identify themselves because they say they abide by the law of the Torah and do not recognize the authority of secular judges.



Police responded to the charges with a routine statement that parents "are welcome to file a complaint" and the police themselves will investigate the charges.

Rabbis have called upon us to fast in support of our sisters and daughters.

Fast Day Thursday for Teenage Girls Held in Prison



(IsraelNN.com) Leading rabbis, including Kiryat-Hevron Chief Rabbi Dov Lior, have called on people to fast on Thursday on behalf of seven girls, ages 13 to 15, who have been held in Neveh Tirza prison near Ramle, east of Tel Aviv. The girls were arrested for trying to establish a hilltop community and have refused to identify themselves.



"In protest against the mistreatment and incarceration of these dear daughters of Zion and in protest against the terrible intention, G-d forbid, to endanger every single soul in Israel and to exile Jews from their homes and to expel them from their rightful inheritance, from Jerusalem and the Temple Mount, we call on all who are able to fast," said the Council of Rabbis of Jewish Communities in Judea, Samaria and Gaza (Yesha).



A Justice Ministry spokesman said, "The girls' release from prison is impossible until they agree to identify themselves because we cannot take legal action against the girls unless they divulge their names. Allowing these minors to leave prison before they identify themselves would establish a negative precedent which would allow criminals to avoid prosecution."

The residents of Yehudah and Shomron and their supporters have come under fire for sending our sisters and daughters out to fight for justice while the men sit on the sidelines. This scrutiny has come from the Haredi community, among others, which has repeatedly demonstrated its willingness to protest the anti-Torah state. The Haredi community does have a point.



However, the leftist media certainly controls what is reported and what is not, and is more than happy to be a participant in any rift between various religious communities.



Our men are fighting in a variety of ways. Many have even been silenced by the courts or police "stay away" orders.



Our sisters and daughters should be commended for their efforts and self-sacrifice.

Israeli "DeMOCKracy" Prisoner update

By Nofyah

If you have any information on other prisoners, please email me. The purpose of this site is to keep information current about Israeli judicial abuse.

Here is a summary of prisoners and victims of harrassment known to us:

In the last two weeks, close to 20 reserve soldiers living in Judea and Samaria have been arrested for refusing, a year ago, to take part in the expulsion of Jews from Gush Katif. At least two - from Tekoa and Yitzhar - have been incarcerated for 25-28 days each.

Others:

Ariel Gruner, Yitzhar, father of one. Crime: not wanting to be homeless.

Boaz Albert, Yitzhar, father of five.

Hanoch Albert, Shiloh.

Rabbi Yossi Paley, Yitzhar, arrested for writing "inciteful" article....five years ago (Yes, in a Bolshevik gov't, crimes can be invented from previously "legal" activity)

Tirzah Sariel. 15-year-old girl arrested for defending another girl for dumping a bucket of olives, transferred to Neve Tirtzah.

Shimshon Cytryn, 19, released to house arrest.

Miriam Adler, Sa-Nur, awaiting trial for protecting right to home.

If you have names/details to add, please contact me.

Innocent Girl Languishes in Israeli Prison for Defending Democracy

DROP EVERYTHING-MAKE CALLS & FAXES NOW! To GET ORIYA SHIREL OUT OF PRISON NOW!!
Hebron police:

02-9969-444 or 9969-473/ 86/ 96/ 62

Chaya Peri spokeswoman
02-666-2301
fax 02-6666230333
beeper 03-6106666 #24404

­Ministry of internal affairs
Tel 2-5309980
fax 2-5308500, 02-5309980

Kal Aharonishky:
tel 02-5308100
fax 02-5308118

TELL THEM WE WILL NEVER TOLERATE VIOLENCE TOWARD WOMEN AND CHILDREN.