Family of girl allegedly gang-raped in school hires Cyprus case' attorney

The investigating team alongside the Southern District Attorney's Office decided that there was no justification for keeping the main suspect in custody.

By ALON HOCHMON
A vendor sells #MeToo badges a protest march for survivors of sexual assault and their supporters in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California US (photo credit: LUCY NICHOLSON / REUTERS)
A vendor sells #MeToo badges a protest march for survivors of sexual assault and their supporters in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California US
(photo credit: LUCY NICHOLSON / REUTERS)
In relation to the police investigation of a gang rape which allegedly took place in a school in southern Israel, the family of the girl hired Monday Attorney Nir Jaslovich who represented the suspects of the Cyprus alleged rape. The family's move followed the police's decision to release the main suspect to house arrest under restrictive conditions.
Yaslovich met with girl and her parents to hear their version of the facts. They accused the school of having neglected its duties by not noticing the girl's unusual behavior and failing to prevent her from allegedly being raped for ten days.
"From what I understand from police [reports], the girl's version is sound and there is a likelihood [the alleged crimes were committed]," Yaslovich said, "but the problem we found was in identifying the suspects. The minor has so far been unable to fully identify some of the suspects."
Attorney Yaslovich attributed this to the girl's mental state, saying he "will monitor the investigation to ensure it is fully exhaustive, while demanding to examine the conduct of the school, under whose watch such a serious affair took place. It is important to highlight that the complainant's version I was presented with sounds credible."
Earlier Monday morning Netivot police decided, together with one of the attorneys, to release the main suspect, a 16-year-old, to house arrest under restrictive conditions. The police decision was taken after the girl gave an additional testimony to an investigator from the Social Services' the Lynn Center, during which she faced the suspect's version.
Maariv learned that at this stage of the investigation there was no evidence of sexual offenses on the part of the minor, but the investigation is still ongoing. As said, the investigating team alongside the Southern District Attorney's Office decided that there was no justification for keeping the minor in custody.