Famous Prisoners, Pressures and Blood Losses: Behind the Political Prison Walls

The prison in the center of the country recently made headlines following the publication of the investigation into Nochi Dankner. Former prison chief tells how convicted politicians and senior officials started filling the cells, describes prisoners' relationships and explains why he is not excited about the businessman's affair

Famous Prisoners, Pressures and Blood Losses: Behind the Political Prison Walls

(In the video: Ofer Maximov is released from Ma'asiyahu prison)

"Gold cage is also a cage, there is no prison," said retired under-gondogee Rami Ovadia, who has been in charge of his actions for eight years. Arie Deri, Deputy Israel Sedan and Ofer Glazer are just a few of the prisoners who served their sentence during his time as commander.

Prison is mostly recognized for its prisoners, some of whom are very well known in the public. The most prominent were former State President Moshe Katsav and former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. "It started in the 1950s," Ovadia said in a conversation with Walla! NEWS, "When Dov Shilansky, who later became the Speaker of the Knesset, was arrested in 1952 on the basement floor of the Foreign Ministry in Tel Aviv, carrying a explosive device containing a time bomb containing 25 explosives. He was convicted in court as a member of the underground that worked against the reparations agreement with Germany led by David Ben-Gurion and sentenced to 21 months in prison. So make sure the IPS find a place that can accommodate people who don't belong to the classic offender world and set up the prison for people like Shilansky and white collar offenders. "

"Not every celeb will come to us," he clarified. "In the case of singer Shmulik Kraus, I objected to wanting his sentence in his actions and he was jailed in another facility."

Recognized thanks to the prisoners lecturing in his field. Olmert is released from Ma'asiyahu prison (Photo: Reuven Castro)

Ehud Olmert released from Ma'aseyahu Prison June 2, 2017 (Photo: Reuven Castro)

Prisoners made headlines again this past week, when Rishon Lezion Magistrate Judge Zohar Segal Dibon allowed publication at the Walla request! NEWS that police have launched a criminal investigation against Nochi Dankner. A wave of rumors swept across the country as to what was going on among the prison walls that prompted the businessman's investigation.

Its employees are not involved in the details of the affair and praised the IPS for their performance in the eye of the storm. However, he is less excited about the rumor mill. As a former commander, he is well acquainted with the relationship between the prisoners, the external pressures being exerted and what goes on behind bars in one of the state's most guarded and interesting prisons. "There have been past cases of one prisoner's blood libel against one prisoner," he said. "In one case, a particular prisoner was to be released on vacation. An hour before he was due to leave, we received intelligence from a source who claimed the prisoner would flee abroad during his vacation. What would you do? You must check it out, which requires you to delay his vacation in order to check this information in depth, maybe he has prepared passports for himself. "This significantly delayed the prisoner's vacation, in which case it turned out to be a plot."

The investigation into Nochi Dankner's case ended; The materials will be forwarded to the Prosecutor's Office

Dankner enters Ma'asiyahu prison (Photo: Reuven Castro)

Nochi Danker enters Ma'asiyahu Prison October 2, 2018 (Photo: Reuven Castro)

Familiar with the relations between the prisoners. Employees (Photo: Reuven Castro)

"There was also another case in which an 85-year-old inmate complained to police against a 91-year-old inmate claiming he had raped him. A criminal investigation was opened and it turned out to be the bloodlust of the complaining inmate," repeated her employees, but emphasized that these were often false. He said, "There are also justified and genuine complaints and the police are investigating and investigating everything on the merits."

"There were lots of intrigues"

For more than 30 years, her employees served in the prison service until he retired in 2008. During his service, he served in a number of intelligence positions in the Ashmurot, Hasharon, Nitzan, Ayalon, Eshel, Shtah and Acts. He is well acquainted with the organization and is in close contact with the IPS service members, including senior officers.

His first role in his actions was in 1979, as an intelligence officer in his actions. "There were the Shmana and Salta there at that time, which Yadlin, Michael Tzur, Baruch Abuchatzira. There were a lot of intrigues," said Ovadia. "When I took on the role of intelligence officer in his actions, I was amazed to find that prisoner Yadlin did not sleep in a cell but in the prison library, in a private room that was equipped with an en suite toilet and shower. I was amazed by that. It goes against all IPS orders. He actually ruled there in prison. I demanded that he be taken away and stroke the same wing as any prisoner. Tried to pressure me to get off of it, I didn't agree. IPS Commissioner Haim Levy told me, 'Ignore everything, you have a full backup of me and that's what it was'.

"There were those in the political system at the time who were trying to put pressure on me with a view to making it easier." Deri (Photo: Reuven Castro)

Shas Chairman Aryeh Deri Central Conference of the Shas Movement, "Tutu" Hall Holon, September 11, 2019 (Photo: Reuven Castro)

Its employees even described the pressures exerted on him regarding the conditions of the detention of Minister Deri in his actions. "There were in the political system so those who tried to put pressure on me with a view to relieve Deri and turn a blind eye, did not give in to that," he said. "Ministers and Knesset members, right and left, would go on pilgrimage to him. The Minister of Public Security at the time allowed them to come into effect as members of Knesset and I had nothing to do about it as soon as the minister approves. They wouldn't even do the rounds in the cells, get straight to the lion."

According to its employees, there were attempts by IPS to relieve Deri. "The rabbi of IPS then approached me, near Deri's entry into his actions, and told me that I had the authority to issue an order for the establishment of a pure mikvah in the traditional observant wing to which Aryeh Deri was intended. After a while, the rabbi contacted me again, this time he noted that in my authority to issue a regulation that every Friday he left buses with 82 prisoners who went to bathe in the mikveh in Chabad in Lod, a distance. Short of prison. I made it clear to him that I wasn't ready for that, there would be no special benefits. "

One of its most memorable cases is the conflict between Rabbi Elazar Menachem Menachem and Deri. "Near Deri entered the prison, he asked for forgiveness and forgives Rabbi Shach for having his mouth converted," he repeated. "When Deri entered Rabbi Sach prison, he was already very ill and in his final powers. Two days after Deri entered prison, then MK MK Menachem Perush then asked me to hand over to Deri that they contacted Rabbi Shekh and told him about his request for forgiveness and forgiveness and asked his employees to hand over to Deri that Shach applied to him. . I handed it to Deri, he was very excited. "

"When a person goes to jail and you close the cell, he is a restricted person," he explained. "He goes through physical searches and his personal equipment. It's very difficult to be imprisoned in his actions, too, the cage is golden."

Former President Katsav gets released from his actions (Photo: Eitan Elhadz \ TPS)

Former President and convicted rapist Moshe Katsav is released from Ma'asiyahu Prison, December 21, 2016 (Photo: Eitan Aladhaz, TPS Observation)