Three indictments issued in the Ashdod rape case

The three suspects were arrested last month. Aronov was arrested a few days before Kaplonov and Goltzman.

Israelis take part in a demonstration in support of the 16-year-old victim of a gang rape in Eilat, Tel Aviv. August 22, 2020 (photo credit: TOMER NEUBERG/FLASH90)
Israelis take part in a demonstration in support of the 16-year-old victim of a gang rape in Eilat, Tel Aviv. August 22, 2020
(photo credit: TOMER NEUBERG/FLASH90)

The State Attorney Office's Southern District handed down indictments on Thursday to Igor Kaplonov, 33, Ron Goltzman, 29, and Baruch Aronov, 36, for the gang rape of a 14-year-old girl at a hotel in Ashdod back in 2015.

The now 21-year-old woman filed a complaint earlier this year. 

She told investigators that when she was 14, she took a taxi to Ashdod and was drugged by her driver, Aronov, who then took her to a hotel where he committed serious sexual acts against her and then invited his friends to the hotel room where they did the same. 

According to the accusations, the three also took pictures of the incident. They then left the passed-out teen in the hotel room and vacated the premises before morning.

The affair was publicized only a fortnight ago, but the three suspects were arrested last month, police reported. Aronov was arrested a few days before Kaplonov and Goltzman. All three are charged with offences of rape and sexual assualt, while Aronov has an additional charge of drugging a minor.

Protests in support of the 13-year-old rape victim of alleged suspect Yarin Sherf. (credit: AVSHALOM SASSONI/ MAARIV)
Protests in support of the 13-year-old rape victim of alleged suspect Yarin Sherf. (credit: AVSHALOM SASSONI/ MAARIV)

Last year, a 16-year-old girl was gang-raped by some 30 men in Eilat, shocking the country and igniting public interest in the issue of sexual assaults against minors.

Then-prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in response to the crime: "it is not only a crime against the girl, but it also is a crime against humanity itself that deserves all condemnation – and those responsible must be brought to justice."

Tamar Beeri contributed to this report.