Adalah Files Police Brutality Complaint
Today, Adalah lawyer Marwan Dalal filed a police brutality complaint to the Ministry of Justice on behalf of Dr. Awad Abu Frih, who was assaulted by a police officer on July 5, 2000.
While driving to work, Dr. Abu Frih was pulled over by a plain-clothes police officer driving in a civilian car. The officer did not identify himself to Dr. Abu Frih, nor did he explain why he had pulled him over. Instead, the police officer shouted, “I will show you how I will kick your ass right now,” pulled Dr. Abu Frih from his car, and punched him twice in the chest. Dr. Abu Frih pleaded with the officer to stop: “You see that I am not fighting back—why are you still hitting me?”
Dr. Abu Frih called the police station from his mobile phone during the confrontation. He explained that he was being attacked by a plain-clothes policeman, and requested that the station send a police car. In his conversation with the police station, Dr. Abu Frih introduced himself as Dr. Awad.
The police officer overheard Dr. Abu Frih, and retreated from the car. He admonished Dr. Abu Frih for not having immediately identified himself as a doctor. He further claimed that he had not intended to hit Dr. Abu Frih, rather that his intention was to inform him that he had illegally passed a truck. The police officer threatened to give Dr. Abu Frih three traffic tickets if he reported the event. Dr. Abu Frih overheard the officer’s telephone conversation with the police station: “I caught this Arab guy, and now he tells me he is a doctor.” The officer did not give Dr. Abu Frih any traffic tickets. Dr. Abu Frih filed a complaint against the officer at the Dimona police station.
Adalah filed a complaint with the Ministry of Justice, on behalf of Dr. Abu Frih, claiming that the officer’s conduct amounted to criminal offenses including: Assault, coercion by a public official, abuse of power, breach of trust, breach of public duty, and breach of legislated duty. Adalah requested that the Ministry of Justice conduct an immediate and thorough investigation of the matter.
