Police accused of contempt for deploying officer under investigation

The Organization for Human Rights in Judea, Samaria and Gaza lodged a complaint with the Police Investigations Department against the officer.

By DAN IZENBERG
police hold e. jerusalem (photo credit: AP [file])
police hold e. jerusalem
(photo credit: AP [file])
The police broke a promise to the High Court of Justice by allowing an officer who is on trial for allegedly assaulting a demonstrator to participate in the deployment near the Mughrabi Gate in Jerusalem's Old City earlier this week, the Organization for Human Rights in Judea, Samaria and Gaza charged Thursday. The organization, headed by Orit Strock, petitioned the High Court of Justice, charging that the police were in contempt of court after they had informed it in April that they had barred the policeman, Ch.-Supt. Yehiel Amsalem, from any contact with the public and put him in command of a police operations center. Amsalem is on trial in Jerusalem Magistrate's Court on charges of kicking a protester and breaking his jaw. The incident occurred on May 16, 2005, during an anti-disengagement demonstration at the entrance to Jerusalem. The Organization for Human Rights in Judea, Samaria and Gaza lodged a complaint with the Police Investigations Department against Amsalem. The PID investigated the matter and indicted Amsalem on February 7, 2006. However, the police did not suspend the suspect. On March 1, Strock petitioned the High Court to order the police to suspend Amsalem until the Magistrate's Court ruled on the indictment. The police replied that they did not have sufficient manpower to suspend him. However, it informed the court on April 11 that it was transferring Amsalem to a desk job that did not involve contact with the public. The petitioners charged that on February 12, Amsalem was photographed near the Mughrabi Gate with other police officers. They were allegedly waiting for a visit to the area by members of the Israeli Arab Higher Monitoring Committee, who were scheduled to meet Wakf officials. There were Arab and Jewish demonstrators nearby and the situation could have led to violent clashes, Struck and her lawyer, Mordechai Minzer, charged. In response to a question by The Jerusalem Post, a police spokesman said they were investigating the matter.