This is getting to be so damn tiresome. There’s a case: either rape or some other crime a powerful interest doesn’t want too widely known. So they get a judicial gag order which protects that interest and suppresses vital information that the public should know. In this case, it’s the police, who didn’t want anyone to know the names of the suspects in the Tel Aviv Bar Noar gay murders.
But then a strange thing happened. The police expected the gag to be lifted by the judge and scheduled a press conference. But instead of lifting the gag, the judge refused to do so. Meanwhile the press conference happened, the police told the tale of how their sterling police work cracked the case. Dutiful journalists wrote their stories which were aired or published.
But then the judge found out and hit the roof. After all, it was the police who shortly before this had asked for the gag to be extended. He demanded the media stories be removed and they were. But the cat was out of the bag. Israelis found the censored articles. They named the names of the suspects, which I’ve published (except for one person who is a State’s witness).
Thanks to Noa Shaindlinger who translated my script into Hebrew. There are Hebrew subtitles so that Israelis may know what they should already have read in their own newspapers but can’t. Please do me and Israelis a favor by spreading this video as widely as you can. Let’s break the gag, break censorship, let the people know what they deserve to know.
This is completely wrong. This is not censorship, these people have only been charged and haven’t been found guilty. The judge was within all normal standards of judicial decency to keep the names under wraps. Your intervention is immoral given that you don’ know why the judge witheld the names.
No need to be all dramatic about it. The gag order was lifted by the next day.
Nope. Partially lifted. I’ve revealed the named still under gag.
The legitimate reason for not naming someone who has been charged (as opposed to someone merely arrested on suspicion or for questioning) is if they face a separate charge and two different juries will have to reach verdicts without being influenced by the other case.
There aren’t very many other legitimate reasons, and it doesn’t really sound as if the above applies here. In that kind of circumstances, it’s usually best to tell the press the score so they know there’s a good reason for the gag.
Richard, why haven’t you mentioned that the state witness who helped plan the crime was gay? isn’t it relevant when you claim that it was a hate crime?
this gag order wasn’t enforced because of national security, it was enforced to protect the witness and to notify families. when this formality was done the police wanted to remove the gag order (at least that’s what i read).
again you wrote that the judge refused to lift the gag order what is simply distorting the facts entirely. the judge was against the gag order from the get go – when the defence asked for the gag order to continue the judge declined their request but since they had the right to appeal his ruling he gave them until the next day to submit their appeal and therefore prolonging the gag order until then.
about the the named being gagged – i don’t see how it is relevant for me to know their names until they are found guilty. there’s a man who claimed of being raped and another one who is being accused of rape. if his name went public the result of the trial wouldn’t matter – everyone will know him as the one who raped the boy form barnoar. it is quite common for not publishing names – usually the rape victim’s name – in these kind of trials (the name of the older brother and suspected shooter was published).
update: ganon’s name is now being published. apparently he signed a deal to testify against the shooter and get off without charge. he was released to house arrest.
about the mizrahi origin that’s a bit racist in my view. if i was to claim that palestinians are extremely homophobic by nature i don’t think that would have passed your moderation.
Noa Shaindlinger? isn’t she the woman who jumped through the roof when two pilots died in a crash? she knows that one of the victims served for 6 yrs in the “IOF”?
perhaps another gag order > does not seem to appear in Israel media.
Last Updated: Fri, 14.06.13 9:09
Israeli national held with pistol at TIA
Police have arrested an Israeli national with a country-made pistol at the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) on Thursday.
Maor Bunan (22), (Passport No 20711977) was held during a routine security check as the gun was found in the passenger’s baggage. Bunan was preparing to board an Air India flight to New Delhi, said police.
The Israeli man has been sent to Metropolitan Police Range, Hanumandhoka for further investigation. Nepalnews.com