Yitzhar: Minor suspected of puncturing the brigade commander's tires released to house arrest

April 7, 2014   

Jerusalem Magistrate's Court Judge Mordechai Kaduri ordered the release of the 16-year-old minor who was arrested last night on suspicion of puncturing the tires of the Shomron Brigade's jeep yesterday in Yitzhar to house arrest for five days. In his decision, Judge Kaduri sharply criticized the fact that, although the police had the warrant allowing them to arrest the minor before the late hours of the night, they decided to carry out the arrest after midnight, thus also denying the minor, until noon, his right to meet with a lawyer. Despite the police's request to extend the minor's arrest by seven days, the judge, as stated, ordered the minor to be released to house arrest at his parents' home in Jerusalem for only five days. It should be noted that at the police's request to appeal the decision before the District Court, a hearing was set for tomorrow. However, due to Judge Rafael Yaacov's decision, the minor's release process will be carried out this evening without delay. Attorney Barak Friedman, who represents the minor on behalf of the 'Hanonu' association He concluded by saying: "The Magistrate's Court, after examining the evidence and hearing the defense's arguments, ruled unequivocally that not only does the evidence not amount to grounds for arrest, but the time that has passed since the incident has weakened any tendency, and therefore the judge ordered his release to short house arrest.""