State prosecutor: Ben Gvir’s administrative detention bill a threat to democracy

The state prosecutor’s office sends a legal opinion to Justice Minister Yariv Levin, saying that a bill proposed this week to allow for administrative detention in a bid to fight crime in Arab communities presents a “threat to democracy.”

“This bill — similar to other initiatives being considered these days — constitutes a dramatic change in the world order in criminal enforcement in Israel, and also presents a deep and fundamental threat to the democratic character of country,” the opinion reads.

“Administrative arrest of a person presumed to be innocent — without sufficient evidence, without reasonable suspicion that a criminal offense was committed and relying only on intelligence information about future and abstract suspicions, and in fact without a time limit — constitutes a fatal violation of the right to freedom and dignity,” it says.

The letter calls on Levin to immediately reject the bill.

The Otzma Yehudit bill, which would give National Security Minister Ben Gvir the ability to authorize administrative detentions, is set to come up for a Knesset committee debate on Sunday.