"The affair brought a bad name to the country": German tourists arrested on suspicion of espionage - released
The Haifa Magistrate's Court today released two German tourists who were arrested on suspicion of espionage near Damon Prison. The judge ruled that no evidence supporting the suspicion was found and that there is no prohibition on photographing the prison from the outside, while criticizing the arrest.
The Haifa Magistrate's Court today (Monday) ordered the immediate release of two German tourists who were arrested two days ago near Damon Prison in the Carmel, on suspicion of serious espionage offenses. The two, Gerald Wolf Mundel (57) and Joachim Oliver Lange (55), spent two nights in custody after prison service personnel noticed them and handed them over to the police. Judge Orit Kantor ruled that no evidence supporting the suspicion was found, and that there is no prohibition on photographing the prison from the outside. She criticized the decision to arrest them, noting that "there was room to exercise discretion, especially when Israeli hasbara is not at its peak these days." The judge also ordered the return of the tourists' personal belongings and allowed them to continue their journey. Attorney Bassam Kandalafte, who represented the two, said that "from the outset there was no place for the arrest" and that the affair brought a bad name to the country.