Court bars solitary confinement for Agam Tsarafi, rebukes IPS over prison video

The Tel Aviv District Court barred the Israel Prison Service from holding Agam Tsarafi, a 19-year-old murder defendant, in solitary confinement, limiting her separation to six more days. The court sharply criticized a video showing her handcuffed and bent forward, calling the treatment excessive and dignity-harming. The ruling eases some restrictions but upholds a phone ban based on intelligence.

The Tel Aviv District Court barred the Israel Prison Service from holding Agam Tsarafi, a 19-year-old defendant in the Benyahu Razi murder case, in solitary confinement and limited her current separation arrangement to six more days. The court sharply criticized a video circulated from detention that showed Tsarafi handcuffed behind her back and bent forward while masked officers led her through the facility. Judge Gilad Hess wrote that the action appeared excessive, harmed her dignity, and lacked real justification. He also noted that male officers should not handle a female detainee where possible. The ruling eases some restrictions but does not restore general telephone access. The court largely sided with the IPS on the phone ban, citing reliable intelligence. The IPS told the court it had not published the video and was examining the matter. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir had defended the IPS, alleging Tsarafi disrupted order and mistreated prisoners and staff. The murder proceedings continue separately in the Jerusalem District Court.