The use of police spyware against state witness Shlomo Pilber continues to make waves in the political system.
Israel Today has learned that MK Shlomo Karei sent the Attorney General, the retired Judge Menachem Finkelstein, a request to clarify the role of the Deputy Attorney General for Criminal Law, Amit Merri, who is conditional on the head of the prosecution's investigation team in the case, Spyware on Shlomo Pilber's cell phone.
As a result, following allegations of illegal use of NSO's Pegasus software by the Israel Police against innocent civilians without judicial review, the former Attorney General set up a team to investigate the allegations and appointed his Deputy Attorney General, Adv. Amit Merri.
Menachem Finkelstein, Photo: Without credit
According to MK Qarai, Merri ignored many difficulties in Netanyahu's cases and is therefore affected by a clear conflict of interest: "Adv. Merri previously headed the team of attorneys on behalf of the Attorney General to examine Benjamin Netanyahu's cases. The evidence, from the disgraceful use of investigative exercises to force state witnesses to testify falsely and the precedent of the charges in them, and she inadvertently recommended that the indictments be filed. "
MK Qarai also mentions that "the police used NSO software to spy on elements in Netanyahu's environment and extracted a lot of information from their cellular devices illegally and without a court order.
"This is no less a legal revolution carried out by elements who are allegedly in charge of law enforcement and have conspired to overthrow an incumbent prime minister."
"In view of Adv. Merri's senior role in investigations into the Netanyahu case, it is clear that she will not be able to objectively investigate the serious crimes committed by the Israel Police regarding the Pegasus software, as she has a sharp conflict of interest. Said Tear.
Deputy Spokesman Amit Merri. Appointed to head the examination team, Photo: Yossi Zamir / GPO
"I would like you to urgently find out what is the role of the attorneys who handled Netanyahu's cases, including Adv. Merri and Adv. Liat Ben-Ari, in the forbidden and malicious use made of the Pegasus software and whether they knew about the real-time use," a Likud MK wrote to Finkelstein.
"I would also like to request that the Attorney General's Act replace the head of the investigation team of the espionage case with a lawyer who is not affected by the illegality of using Pegasus software and is not in a conflict of interest in this matter."
Suggestion: Establish a wiretapping department in the Ministry of Justice
At the same time, the chairman of the Privacy Protection Committee at the Bar Association, Adv. Dan Hai, passed a proposal to amend his own legislation calling for the appointment of a wiretapping officer who will head the "wiretapping department" in the Ministry of Justice.
This department shall be independent and subject to the wiretapping officer only, and subject to its powers.
In the event of a request for wiretapping, it is proposed that the Commissioner express his position within 24 hours of submitting the request, give reasons for his request for wiretapping and if he opposes the request, represent the department's position at the hearing.
If the request is accepted by the wiretapper, consent will be given to an officer with the rank of lieutenant colonel or higher.
Alshikh against the background of the NSO building, Photo: Oren Ben Hakon, AP
In the proposal to amend the legislation, every year until April 1, the Privacy Protection Council will submit to the Constitution, Law and Justice Committee of the Knesset a report prepared by the Commissioner on Wiretapping on all the activities of the Wiretapping Department, which will include the number of applications submitted or opposed. The permits issued and the number of telephone lines they had listened to, all together with the comments of the Privacy Protection Council.
The chairman of the Privacy Protection Committee at the Bar Association, Advocate Dan Hai, said: "This is an issue that should concern each and every one of us, and it makes Israel a police state that acts like the darkest regimes in the world. I propose for the first time a legislative proposal to prevent action. In the future, the law has not been updated for more than 30 years and does not correspond to the technological age in which we live. Democrats will feel they have no privacy. "
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