Police chief says no evidence yet of police wrongdoing in Arab activist’s case

Israel Police Commissioner Roni Alsheich says there is no evidence yet of wrongdoing in the alleged wounding while in custody of a prominent Israeli Arab rights activist.

Jafar Farah was arrested over the weekend at a protest in Haifa over Israel’s policies toward Gaza. According to Farah, a police officer kicked him in the knee and broke it while he was being questioned.

“The [Police Internal Investigations Department in the Justice Ministry] has received all the materials [from the case] and is investigating as it sees fit,” Alsheich says Tuesday. “Right now, as far as I know, the investigation is still ongoing. We have not received anything that justifies disciplinary action.”

He adds: “It’s natural that any transgressor will come with complaints about the police, and these complaints should be checked.”