The Israeli policeman who shot dead an autistic Palestinian in East Jerusalem in May, mistakenly believing him to be armed, is at risk of being charged with manslaughter, the Israeli justice ministry said on Wednesday (October 21st).
After "
a thorough investigation (...) and the examination of all the circumstances of the event
", the police officer who killed Iyad Hallak could be prosecuted for manslaughter "
by negligence
", indicates the ministry in a statement, specifying that 'a hearing of the suspect will precede the charge.
Read also: Jerusalem: death of autistic Palestinian boy shot dead by Israeli police sparks anger
On May 30, Iyad Hallak, a 32-year-old Palestinian with autism, was shot and killed by an Israeli border guard in the Old City of Jerusalem, during a chase.
The policeman said he thought the Palestinian was trying to grab a gun when he was actually looking for his phone in his pocket.
The Palestinian “
killed posed no danger to the police nor to the civilians present, (...) the policeman fired while not following the police firing rules (...) and did not resort to more proportionate options
, ”said the Ministry of Justice in its press release.
However, "
the fact that the policeman fired after suspecting that (Iyad Hallak) was a terrorist (...) and that the incident occurred during an operation in a sensitive area were also taken into account.
», He adds.
No charges were brought against the policeman's commanding officer, who had also been questioned as part of the investigation.
Khalid Zabarkah, one of the lawyers for the Palestinian's family, called the decision "
important but not sufficient
".
"
The circumstances surrounding the crime indicate that the murder was deliberate, especially since the martyr Iyad posed no danger to be targeted and killed in such a gruesome manner
," the lawyer told AFP.
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