Jerusalem24– The Justice Ministry has decided not to press criminal charges after a unit in charge of investigation allegations against the Shin Bet found allegations that it had used sleep-deprivation against detainees “justified”.
Tarek Bargut, a Palestinian from occupied East Jerusalem, filed a complaint three years ago against the Israeli Shin Bet security service in which he said he was interrogated 14 times while cuffed in a “cruel, inhuman and humiliating manner.”
In the complaint, Bargut said the interrogator beat him every time he fell asleep.
According to Israeli officials in the security forces, the use of sleep deprivation is allowed in Shin Bet interrogations.
An investigation into Bargut’s complaints against the Shin Bet confirmed that the Shin Bet deprived him of sleep. However, the Justice Ministry decided that Bargut’s complaint did not need a criminal probe.
There have been several probes into the Shin Bet’s interrogation methods by both Palestinians and Israelis, including allegations of sexual harassment. However, no real accountability was given to the majority of these complaints.
