'Israeli' police officer who strip-searched protester only reported it after media Inquiry
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- An ‘Israeli’ police officer reportedly filed a report on the strip search of an anti-government demonstrator 36 hours after it occurred, following an inquiry by Haaretz.
- The Justice Ministry reopened an investigation into the case this month after the demonstrator’s lawyer appealed the initial decision to close it.
An ‘Israeli’ police officer who strip-searched an anti-government demonstrator last year reportedly filed a report on the incident 36 hours after the search and 12 hours after Haaretz inquired about the case.
The report was signed only after the newspaper published its story, according to Haaretz. The case resurfaced after the Justice Ministry reopened its investigation this month following an appeal by the demonstrator’s lawyer.
The officer reportedly said she suspected the demonstrator was concealing evidence, citing the woman’s avoidance of eye contact as part of the justification for the search.
The demonstrator had been arrested while silently protesting outside the prime minister’s residence during last year’s war with Iran. She said she was handcuffed to another demonstrator, taken to a room and ordered to undress before being informed why she was being searched.
She also disputed police claims that she had thrown her clothes and refused to cooperate.
An earlier Justice Ministry investigation found no grounds to investigate the officer and concluded that she had acted within her legal authority.
The case comes amid several other complaints involving strip searches of anti-government protesters.
In June, ‘Israeli’ police reached settlements with 13 demonstrators who had complained about strip searches, paying more than 600,000 shekels, or about $203,000, according to Haaretz. Police did not admit wrongdoing but described the searches as “impossible to defend.”
The ‘Israeli’ police told Haaretz that it operates “professionally at all times, within its authority and in accordance with the law and procedures.”
It added that any claims concerning the conduct of police officers should be referred to the relevant authorities.
