Unmarked police car rams youths’ car, killing one – Day 22
Updated: Jan 31, 2022
See here for a list of posts connected to the case.
Monday, January 11, 2021
8:32 Over 15 protesters detained last night
Last night, throughout Israel, over 15 protesters were detained at demonstrations protesting the death of Ahuvia Sandak, z”l.
In Tzfat, three protesters were detained, at the Shilo Junction, four, in the area of Hasmonaim, six, and in the Shomron, three. Some of them will be brought today to court deliberations. Honenu Attorneys provided the detainees with legal counsel and will represent them in court.
Among other locations, demonstrations were held in Tel Aviv, Nof Ayalon, Gush Etzion, Kiryat Gat, Tzfat, at the String Bridge in Jerusalem, the Kommemiut Junction, the Ariel Junction, the Negohot Junction, and at various intersections in Yehuda and Shomron.
12:10 Witnesses verbally harassed
Honenu received a written reply to a complaint filed with the police against police investigators for hurtful and racist statements made to the father of one of the detainees interrogated in the investigation of the police car chase in which Ahuvia Sandak, z”l, was killed. The letter was sent from the Office of the Legal Advisor to the Israeli Police and written by Attorney Nir Gatenio and states that “We are prevented from handling your complaint against the policemen while criminal proceedings are in process relating to the claims made in the complaint. After the criminal proceedings have been completed and in light of their results, you will be able to file another complaint with our department.”
Honenu Attorney Nati Rom responded that the reply was scandalous and the conduct of the investigatory team was lacking. “Together with the cover-up attempts by the Israeli Police and by the investigators leading the investigation of the incident, they showed hurtful treatment including racist statements and attempts to intimidate the witnesses instead of genuinely striving to reach the truth. One after the other, the witnesses left their interrogations and said that racist and hurtful statements had been shouted at them.”
Mr. Gozlan, the father of one of the detainees was summoned to an interrogation and he also related that he suffered harsh insults, both personal and directed at the general religious community. He said that his wife received similar treatment under interrogation. From the complaint filed by Rom: “Throughout the interrogation, the interrogator, Senior Staff Sergeant Major Avitan, shouted harsh insults at my client, called him a liar several times, and added a hurtful insult directed towards the religious public as a whole: ‘You with the kippa, the payot, and the tzitziot, you’re all a gang of criminals.’ From time to time during the lengthy interrogation Commander Grossman entered the room and joined the verbal abuse that Senior Staff Sergeant Major Avitan directed at Mr. Gozlan.”
Rom added “Parents who come to testify should not be treated like this. Such unacceptable conduct must be denounced, and I hope that the Israeli Police will know to denounce it. At this moment, unfortunately, the reply that we received is unacceptable. It appears that the Israeli Police are continuing their cover-up attempts.”
13:38 Urgent deliberation scheduled
The Jerusalem Magistrates Court scheduled an urgent deliberation for Wednesday, January 13, on the request by the Sandak family
Honenu Attorney Ariel Atari, who is representing the family: “We welcome the urgency with which Judge Weinshall regards the need for determining and clarifying the circumstances of Ahuvia’s death. This urgency is conspicuous in contrast with the failure of the State of Israel to respond to the request, despite the court’s decision.”
15:45 Girls harassed by soldiers at demonstration
On the morning of Monday, January 11, the Petah Tikva Magistrates Court rejected the request by the police to obligate Attorney Yehuda Shimon, a Shomron resident who reprimanded Lieutenant Colonel Ayub Kayuf and the soldiers under his command for physically harassing girls, to sign on bail.
On Saturday night, during a demonstration at the Kedumim Junction, Shimon saw soldiers touching girls in an invasive manner. Shimon approached the soldiers to reprimand them and, as a video clip documents, he was surrounded by the soldiers who brutally assaulted and injured him.
Afterwards it turned out that one of the soldiers was Lieutenant Colonel Ayub Kayuf, who claimed that Shimon had assaulted him. Shimon was briefly detained and then released immediately after the incident. He came on his own accord to the police station the following afternoon and was unconditionally released after interrogation. However, because he refused to sign on bail, a deliberation was scheduled at the Petah Tikva Magistrates Court for Monday morning. Shimon was present in the courtroom when the request for him to sign bail was rejected.
Attorney Yehuda Shimon, a well-known and respected personage in the Shomron, commented that the court’s decision is another indication that the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit had created a big story out of nothing.
21:50 Tonight’s demonstrations
Also tonight, demonstrations protesting the death of Ahuvia Sandak, z”l, will be held in various locations throughout Israel.
Currently, a demonstration is taking place opposite the National Police Headquarters in Jerusalem. Several protesters have been detained There are reports of clashes with policemen and attempts to block the street and the light rail. Honenu Attorneys are providing legal counsel to the detainees.
Starting today, every day there will be a protest vigil opposite the Office of the Public Security Minister in Jerusalem from 9:00 to 21:00. A protest tent has been set up. Many public figures and activists are expected to visit the tent. Rabbis will also hold classes at the site in memory of Ahuvia, z”l. The protesters are demanding that Public Security Minister Amir Ohana form an external investigative committee to examine the conduct of the Central Unit of Yehuda and Shomron Police in general and the death of Ahuvia in particular.
Currently, additional demonstrations are taking place in Ariel, Kommemiut, Gush Etzion, Beit Shemesh, various intersections in Yehuda and Shomron and other locations.
21:51 Protest tent
21:56 Jerusalem
22:00 Two protesters detained at Beit Shemesh Junction
22:01 Ariel Junction
22:02 Shomron Brigade Base (below);
Photo credit: Free use
