Reservists suspected of serious sexual abuse against Palestinian detainee to stay in custody
Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
The detentions of five reserve soldiers suspected of the serious sexual abuse of a Palestinian detainee at the Sde Teiman base in southern Israel have been extended until Sunday.
Military prosecutors requested that their detention be extended for the investigation into the high-profile abuse case to continue.
A military court accepted the request, after determining that “the evidence shows a reasonable suspicion that the acts were committed” by the reservists.
The court also stated that additional evidence that strengthen the suspicions against the five soldiers had been presented since the last remand hearing.
In all, 10 soldiers were detained in the case, although prosecutors did not seek to hold five of them in custody, following new evidence in the case.
According to the IDF, the soldiers were suspected of aggravated sodomy (a charge equivalent to rape), causing bodily harm under aggravated circumstances, abuse under aggravated circumstances and conduct unbecoming of a soldier.
