Last Thursday police officers armed with a Taser gun stormed into the home of Boaz Albert, a resident of Yitzhar. Albert was arrested for violating an administrative restraining order issued by the IDF which mandated him from returning to Judea and Samaria for 18 months, even though his home is in Samaria.
The police officers who entered his home used disproportionate force against Albert and shocked him several times despite him not being violent in any way, nor endangering the four police officers who had come to arrest him.
The Taser gun in itself maybe a legitimate tool for law enforcement, however when it is used in a violent, illegal manner it becomes a criminal weapon. Use of a Taser gun with no apparent reason is a serious violation of human rights, unworthy of a democratic state. Unfortunately disproportionate police violence is becoming commonplace, and the police chiefs must be the first to condemn and ensure the guidelines which have been issued are strictly enforced, in order to restore the public’s faith in the police force.
A policeman acting in a violent manner and claiming immunity because of his position is a threat to democracy. The legislature gave the police the authority and ability to use reasonable force, and those who do so unlawfully undermine the basis on which the law enforcement system stands.
MK’s from all sides of the political map have condemned police conduct in this case, stating that the police use of force against Albert was completely unreasonable now that the full facts have been revealed. This incident is a clear violation of human rights, more familiar in dictatorships rather than democratic states.
This restraining order was issued without trial and without giving the defendant the opportunity to defend his basic human rights and present his case in open court. In light of this event the Legal Forum issued an urgent letter to Chief of Police Yochanan Danino demanding an immediate investigation, and called for the officers responsible to be brought to justice.
A prompt reply was received that an investigation has begun against the police officer in question, and the police chief has suspended use of the Taser gun until the investigation results are received. The problem is not the gun itself but the guidelines for its use. Use of power should be given to those in charge of law enforcement, however they must demonstrate caution and know when and how to use it. The Legal Forum will continue to monitor this case and demand justice from the law enforcement system.
