Can it lead to violence? Anti-Sharon poster
צילום: איי אף פי
'Incitement to violence on the rise'
Attorney General Menachem Mazuz calls for change in law to ease prosecution of those who encourage violence; says number of investigations against public figures relatively high
TEL AVIV - Attorney General Menachem Mazuz said Tuesday the current law against incitement makes it difficult to convict individuals who foment hatred and encourage violance.
According to Mazuz, the main difficulty in bringing inciters to trial is the need to prove there is a high probability their words would lead to violence.
He said his office and the Ministry of Justice are working to amend the law.
“We are currently in a very dangerous period, as incitement to commit violent acts is rising and may severely undermine Israel’s social fabric,” he said.
Mazuz said the incitement is not a regular criminal phenomenon, as it is based on ideological and not criminal intent.
“The phenomenon obligates us to try and draw a line between statements that are supposed to be heard, even if they are not pleasant to hear, and incitement for violence, which is a purely criminal phenomenon, even if it is done out of ideological motives,” he said.
'Public figures get same treatment'
Regarding criminal investigations that have been launched against Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and government ministers, Mazuz said the number of investigations against public figures in Israel is relatively high in relation to many other western countries.
He said criminal law contends with senior publicly elected officials just as it would deal with any other citizen.
“Either there is evidence against them or there isn’t; this is the only criterion in the question of whether or not to issue an indictment against a public figure,” Mazuz said.
