A family from the Arab village of Tamra, including one minor, have been
indicted on Thursday for kidnapping a relative after finding pictures of
him in drag on Facebook.
The indictment includes contact in
order to commit a crime, kidnapping with intent to imprison, kidnapping
with intent to threaten, imprisonment, threats and attacks, all because
of the man's sexuality and photographs he published online, in which he
is wearing a bridal gown.
The crimes were allegedly committed
four times over the past four months, in order to "defend the family's
honor," according to the indictment.
The first kidnapping attempt
occurred in May. The accused told their
victim that him mother is sick, and they should visit her in Tamra. When
he refused, they dragged him into the car, and brought him to his
parents' home, where they beat and slapped him, tied him up, and locked
him in the room. The victim's brother released him, after the victim
told a friend to call the police.
He was attacked again at a family wedding, during which he ran into the
woods and did not come out until police came. Three weeks before the
wedding, his mother called and warned him to remove the pictures in
which the victim is in drag, saying "the family will come get you, and
that'll be the end of you."
On August 23, the family members came to the victim's Tel Aviv
apartment, sprayed pepper spray in his face, and pushed him into a car
that was waiting for him outside. They tied his hands with belts,
blindfolded him with scotch tape and threatened to stab him if he
resists. Once they arrived in Tamra, the accused chained him to a window
and locked him in a room.