A Disgrace: Attorney Adi Carmeli on the Arrest of Shuvu Banim Chassidim

Attorney Adi Carmeli spoke harshly against the Israel Police and its conduct toward the three members of the holy 'Shuvu Banim' community, who were arrested following a baseless and unfounded plot, in an interview with the World Breslov Information Line. It is difficult to hear these things; Attorney Carmeli uses the most direct and painful expressions regarding the "unnecessary" and outrageous arrest of the Shuvu Banim Chassidim, even calling it persecution. These are his words:

"There was a very long hearing in court, very stormy, very emotional. We made very serious claims against the police, who requested to extend the detention of all the detainees by eight days. They requested long and complicated investigative actions for complaints that do not even exist."

"Slowly but surely, during the cross-examination by the defense attorneys, it emerged that everything was completely fabricated. The court ruled that there wasn't even a shred of evidence. It was stated there as a direct accusation against the police that the entire purpose of this arrest was to create unfair pressure on the detainees, to try and extract things from them that do not exist. This arrest is invalid and illegal, and it was blocked today by the court."

"The hearing was so sharp, so clear, it was understood that with such a protocol, the police couldn't even go to the District Court. The matters were self-evident; the police didn't even perform the actions they said they would. I don't know with what face they would have entered the District Court."

"And in general, the grounds for arrest claimed by the police do not exist. At least regarding the allegations of flight risk and dangerousness, these are offenses for which such grounds do not apply. Regarding the substance of the matter, the grounds for obstruction of justice also do not exist. Since the police representative did not file an appeal against the court's rejection—the police effectively raised a white flag."

"I think this is definitely persecution. If my voice is heard, a sharp retaliatory action should be taken, including an appeal to the Police Commissioner and the court system regarding these harassing proceedings that have only one goal: to try and recruit sources of information for the police from within the community. This is fundamentally wrong and violates the basic rights of those under investigation and suspects, as well as citizens in the State of Israel. Again, if my voice is heard, the last word from the suspects' side has not yet been said."

"The police blew smoke in the eyes of the court; they didn't bring even a shred of evidence. I believe that in a case like this, which is not a detention case but one where the suspects are released, the pressure on them also decreases. The police always try to achieve results while people are in custody; that's why they arrested them, this time unnecessarily. The court stopped it; I assume the investigation will now enter a freeze."

"We will demand to conclude the investigation and close all the files against all the people who were released, so they can return to their normal lives."

[audio mp3="https://www.shuvubanimint.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/1428.mp3" autoplay="true"][/audio]

The recording is courtesy of the World Breslov Information Line. You can dial *9148 from any phone.