Supreme Court: Yigal Amir to stay in solitary confinement

Judges write that Rabin's killer should be allowed short visits with other prisoners to hold prayer minyan.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
311_yigal amir in court [file] (photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
311_yigal amir in court [file]
(photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
The Supreme Court on Tuesday denied an appeal filed on behalf of Yigal Amir, late prime minister Yitzhak Rabin's assassin, requesting that he be moved from solitary confinement.
The decision upheld a Petah Tikva District Court ruling that Amir should remain in solitary confinement for an additional six months. In upholding the lower court's decision, however, the Supreme Court noted that in the future, Amir should be allowed short visits with other prisoners, to hold a prayer minyan, among other reasons.
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However, the judges wrote that if Amir abuses such privileges "despite promises and liabilities, ...it will be permissible to terminate [the privileges] immediately."
Last month, during the court's debate over the appeal, the state said it was willing to transfer Amir to coupled segregation, in which another prisoner would join Amir in a cell. Amir's attorney said he rejected the idea.
In response to the argument in which officials believe Amir may indoctrinate others once he comes out of solitary confinement, Amir said last month, "I had no intention to indoctrinate and I have no I idea what indoctrination is being referred to."
Differences between the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) and the attorney general were visible during the hearing. The Shin Bet's position is that Amir should remain in solitary confinement due to the ideological risk he poses and the impact that may have on other inmates.


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