A verdict on a bribery offense given by Judge Rebecca Friedman Feldman was reinstated for further hearing by the Supreme Court, following improper investigative exercise • The spokesmen spit and threatened the defendant

• Rare decision. Rebecca Feldman

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  Court website

In a dramatic decision, the Supreme Court this evening (Sunday) ruled on a ruling by the Jerusalem District Court Judge Rebecca Friedman Feldman, who convicted Lior Mirz, a former VAT investigator in receiving bribes. In his decision, the Supreme Court ordered a retrial.

Mirz's confession of handing over tax information in exchange for bribes was achieved in an aggressive dubbing exercise. Justice Feldman ruled that the confession came of his own free will and even ruled that "the ruse the police have taken against the defendant does not rise to an 'unfair ruse' which results in the denial of his confession." 

The district court further ruled that the applicant had not exercised "unfair mental pressure." But Central District Court acquitted his alleged offenders, Ilan Yosef - also VAT investigator and Avraham Siboni, a Unified Health Insurance Marketer investigated by the Tax Authority for the very same allegation that it was made under threats. Tens of thousands of shekels As mentioned, Mirz was convicted of his confession, but Joseph and Siboni were acquitted despite the same evidence.

Netanyahu enters courtroom at trial opening in May // Photo: Reuters

During the dubbing exercise, two police officers were put in Mirz's detention cell and impersonated violent offenders, who assured him that he was actually an undercover cop. During that event, they shouted, cursed, spit, knocked on the tin cabinets in the cell, made neck slashing movements and threatened to stab him. Mirz was transported to another cell where he also spent a while there admitting his actions.

The decision to dismiss the verdict was made by the Vice President, Justice Hanan Meltzer, who wrote in his decision, among other things, that "the contradiction we deal with here is not only in contradiction between the results of the various judgments on the level of judgment (acquittal versus conviction), but mainly in the contradiction between their various determinations. Of the courts in relation to the applicant's admission, and the question of being free and voluntary ... Since the evidence actually considered by the court was identical and since no good and convincing explanation was found, which can be presumed in relation to the gap between the decisions - it concealed their determination In my view, the various cases go to a "material contradiction" that (it) has the power, either in itself or with the doctrine of the defense of justice, to establish the cause of the distortion of the law for the retrial, and therefore I order it to be conducted. " A waiter ordered the case to be returned to the Jerusalem District Court. "

Making the district's decision is considered rare, but no less important, because it is the head of the Netanyahu trial, which is accused of, among other things, bribery. Mirz was allowed to serve 10 months in prison.