Policeman questioned under caution for slapping detainee
Cousin of Arab detainee beaten by a police officer in Rahat says he was 'treated like a terrorist,' adds family plans to sue police; after being questioned by Internal Investigations Unit, policeman suspended from police station for several days.
The policeman told his investigators he had acted as expected from a police officer in such an incident. At the end of his interrogation, he was suspended from the police station for several days.
The documentation shows the policeman slapping a cuffed and subdued Arab detainee held by several fellow policeman. The attack took place on Friday after the detainee, along with two others, fled from officers before attacking them and calling a mob to their aid.
Two officers who were wounded by the mob were released from the hospital Saturday. Doctors say they suffered bruises that will prevent them from returning to duty for several days. Two suspects were arrested.
During a routine inspection of a driver's license and registration, police officers noticed his driver's license expired last year, the police said in a statement. A quarrel than broke out, and after officers attempted to arrest the driver, he—along with the two passengers—bolted from the scene, veering recklessly into traffic and speeding off.
Policemen gave chase, keeping pace with the wild driver until he stopped at the side of a main road in the city. The three then stepped out of the vehicle carrying clubs and called onto nearby citizens to attack the officers.
The policemen, who engaged the three, began being pelted by rocks, with dozens of nearby onlookers forming a mob.
Video footage of the incident showed one cop using excessive and unnecessary force, beating a cuffed and submissive detainee across his head on their way to the patrol vehicle. A picture taken at the scene showed the same detainee laying cuffed and bloodied on the ground.
The detainee's cousin, Mahdi Abu Siam, said: "It happened on the way home. They started beating him up, arguing with him. After they beat the hell out of him, they cocked their weapon. What's that all about? Is he a terrorist? Why do you cock your weapon in front of a person? This isn't the first time they kill someone here in our city."
According to Abu Siam, the detainee suffers from mental issues, and although is relatives informed the police about it, they kept beating him up. "The police are responsible for all the violence. They were both cuffed and they were both beaten up while they were cuffed."
The police offered the following response: "Unfortunately, too often, we encounter rioters who raise their hand on policemen engaged in legal enforcement activity. This time, it was an enforcement activity against traffic criminals, and the suspects tried to flee the police. When they were arrested, they threw stones and clubs at them. The suspects attacked the policeman and were forcibly arrested.
"For the record, we will never accept a situation in which policeman are attacked and we will exercise zero tolerance against anyone who raises his hand on a policeman, regardless of the criminal's descent or religion."
