Photography: Sarit Eliya
On Tuesday (November 12), the Minister of Public Security, MK Yitzhak Aharonovich, announced that he intends to authorize the use of non-judicial detention orders against Israeli citizens in the fight against organized crime. He lashed out in front of a group of journalists, telling them that he has had “enough with the hypocrisy and those human rights organizations.”
In response, Hagai El-Ad, Executive Director of the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI), called upon MK Aharonovich demanding that he retreat from his dangerous initiative to expand administrative detentions, and from his provocative rhetoric against human rights.
In the letter, Mr. El-Ad explained that “[t]he fight against crime – especially such violent and organized crime – is undoubtedly one of the most important functions of the police in any civilized country. Human rights, and organizations that work to protect these rights, are not an obstacle in the way of this important goal, but rather part of the system of balances standard in every democratic society.”
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13 November 2013 Minister Yitzhak Aharonovich Ministry of Internal Security Jerusalem VIA FAX 025418083
Greetings,
I was dismayed to read your recent remark (12 November) “enough with the hypocrisy and with the human rights organizations,” in connection with your comments and suggestions regarding the fight against organized crime. I hope that you will soon find an opportunity to publicly retract this remark.
The fight against crime – surely such violent and organized crime – is undoubtedly one of the most important functions of the police in any civilized country. Human rights, and organizations that work to protect these rights, are not an obstacle in the way of this important goal, but rather part of the system of balances standard in every democratic society.
Police forces in other countries fight organized crime no less serious, sophisticated or violent than that with which the Israeli police must contend. They do this successfully without using draconian and undemocratic measures such as administrative detention or secret “evidence“.
The fact that Israel’s government authorities make use of administrative detention against Palestinians, and similarly against asylum seekers (who are kept in custody – “a euphemistic term for administrative detention,” in the words of Justice Rubinstein), cannot be the basis for expanding the use of these unacceptable practices. On the contrary, your comments are a reminder that the use of administrative measures to imprison those who have not been charged, let alone convicted, and have no way of defending themselves and proving their innocence, is always wrong.
The expectation of the state’s citizens from their police is that it will successfully contend with crime, including organized crime, within the framework of the existing criminal law, which grants the state the authority necessary to do so successfully.
As you said, “things will be determined in the public eye.” I am sure the public will continue to support the right of every accused person to a fair trial, and will strongly oppose the granting of far-reaching administrative authority to the police. The Association for Civil Rights in Israel will oppose these proposals, which should not have ever been made, and should now be shelved.
Regards,
Hagai El-Ad, Director Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) |
