The Minister of Public Security has applied to the Judea and Samaria Court to approve publication of documentation from the body cameras of the police in the files of the DIP investigation - without this being considered a "disruption of investigation"

• Minister of Public Security Amir Ohana and Avichai Mandelblit / Presidential Office // Photo: Tzachi Miri

Minister of Public Security, Amir Ohana, on Monday, asked Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit to approve the release of videos found on police body cameras documenting their encounters with civilians in investigated cases in the DIP without regard to "disruption of investigative proceedings" To reveal a picture as fully as possible and as quickly as possible, about what is happening.

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In the letter, Minister Ohana points out that in recent days, as a result of increased enforcement as part of the fight against the spread of the Corona virus, the public has been exposed to quite a few frictions with the Israeli police. "I will never be able to justify exercising unlawful force against a civilian, let alone actual violence," Ohana notes. "This is a phenomenon that must be condemned everywhere, and I intend to demand that police chiefs act to

punish and, in appropriate cases, to exclude those who act in this way."

Police spokesmen

However, in his letter, Minister Ohana stated that "the vast majority of police and citizen encounters against this background end without any unusual incidents, with the officer performing his duties (today there are over 3,000 corona reports a day, of which one or two cases are defined as" Unusual"). In the few cases where force is exercised, usually on grounds of unwillingness to identify and obey the officer's instructions, there is considerable public interest, and this is understandable. "

According to the minister, "in these cases, bystanders often record the use of force by the police, usually without documenting the steps that preceded it - and posting the videos on social networks, and these are spreading rapidly and reach every home - with or without the help of institutionalized media."

Ohana notes in his letter that "sometimes the cops are failing, and thus must be treated with the fullest seriousness required. However, they usually have a good answer and even proof of their claims, found in the videos in question." He said that "in cases transferred to the DIP, the police are prevented from issuing these videos, for fear that it may constitute" disruption of investigative proceedings. "

It came to me in those moments - two electrified police in a teaser and vigorously beating a guy who was issued an ID card and asked to be identified.

Something very bad is happening to us as a friend ... When many of Salomon Taka were shot and then "stopped supporting" the protest soon it will happen to all of us due to silence. @GYevarkan @amirivgi @AmirOhana @IL_police pic.twitter.com/fhgE54tkIx

- hanizubida (@HaniZubida) July 5, 2020

"This argument should not be accepted, and it is not balanced with regard to the national damage that may be caused by not providing an immediate answer in the appropriate cases," Ohana wrote, adding that "there is no need to sail to the imagination districts to explain what may be caused by a delay in this matter. This is the case in the world, so in the world."

Ohana claims the exposure of the picture, as complete as possible, does not disrupt the investigation and it serves to serve the investigation. "I therefore appeal to you hereby to approve the type of video in question and which are in the possession of the police without it being considered a" disruption of investigative proceedings "in order to reveal to the public as much as possible, as soon as possible, the entire occurrence (except in cases where there is a positive and reasoned determination) Of the DIP for prohibiting the publication of documentation, "he wrote to the consultant.