Soldier Accused of Murder Returned to Neve Tirtza Prison
Soldier Agam Tzarfi, accused of murder, was returned to Neve Tirtza prison and granted phone access following petitions by the Public Defender's Office after the court found no murder evidence.
Agam Tzarfi, a 19-year-old active-duty soldier accused of the murder of Binyahu Raziel, has been returned to Neve Tirtza prison following petitions filed by the Public Defender's Office with the Tel Aviv District Court. According to the defense, she has also been permitted to call her family after being barred from doing so for weeks over fears of alleged ties to criminal figures.
The court recently stated that there is insufficient evidence to substantiate the murder charges against Tzarfi and her co-defendant, Shilat Chuta. A senior Israel Prison Service official warned that any violation of regulations would result in her immediate return to the Abu Kabir detention facility, emphasizing that she is treated no differently than any other detainee.
Defense attorneys Omri Stern and Roy Politi, representing Tzarfi on behalf of the Public Defender's Office, reported that she has faced harsh and humiliating treatment by prison authorities since her arrest, which persisted even after the court ruled out murder evidence. They noted that conditions were eased only following their legal petitions, expressing hope for her prompt release to alternative detention.
Last month, the Public Defender's Office filed a petition over footage showing Tzarfi handcuffed with her body bent at a 90-degree angle. During court proceedings, a classified IPS intelligence report alleged that she had become a dominant negative influence in prison, suspected of ties to organized crime and intimidating inmates, while the defense challenged these restrictions and sought fair treatment.
