From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, July 30, 2024
High Court to hold 2nd hearing on closing Sde Teiman facility at center of abuse allegations
Jeremy Sharon is The Times of Israel’s legal affairs and settlements reporter
The High Court of Justice says it will hold a second hearing on August 7 for the petition demanding the closure of the Sde Teiman detention facility which is at the center of abuse and torture allegations allegedly committed on Palestinian detainees.
The decision comes following revelations that the Military Advocate General’s office has launched an investigation into nine soldiers over suspected severe abuse of a Palestinian detainee approximately a month ago, and the riots at Sde Teiman itself as well as the Beit Lid military court yesterday after the soldiers were arrested.
The court grants the state’s request for an extension until August 4 to file its latest response and update to the court, and orders both sides to submit their principle arguments by August 5.
The Association for Civil Rights in Israel which filed the original petition along with other human rights groups has demanded that the court order the defense minister and military advocate general to shutter Sde Teiman due to the alleged multiple, severe human rights abuses at the facility.
The court issued a provisional order on July 15 demanding the government explain why the operation of the facility should not be conditioned on “compliance with the conditions set forth in the law on the imprisonment of illegal combatants.”
Provisional orders switch the burden of proof from the petitioners to the respondent, in this case the defense minister and the Military Advocate General, and generally indicate that the court sees merit in the petition.
