Suspicion: IDF prison guards peeped at naked inmates

Soldier testifies that prison guards peeped at female soldiers while they were undressing. IDF Spokesman: Inquiry launched, incident isolated

Yoav Zitun|Published: 08.15.12 , 15:52

Military Police are investigating suspicions that army prison guards used a peep hole to look at naked women soldiers serving time at a Zerifin prison without their knowledge, Ynet learned on Wednesday.

The IDF Spokesperson's Unit stressed that there had been only one incident which occurred two weeks ago, but testimonies suggest that the prison guards repeated their actions several times and one officer even said it was "customary."

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A was hole made in one of the doors that connects the prison lobby with a room where female inmates' change their clothes.

The practice was exposed when a reservist made a complaint on the matter after being summoned for a disciplinary hearing over claims he failed to report for reserve duty.

According to the soldier's defense attorney, "he was asked to change clothes in an adjacent room by the same guards when suddenly they invited him to join them in peeking through the hole to watch the female soldiers undress.

"This (soldier) is a man of morals who completed combat duty and saw the actions as inappropriate and refused to take part," the attorney added. According to the soldier, a female soldier who was there giggled and told them "stop doing that all the time."

This is not the first case in which IDF officers took advantage of their position to peep at female soldiers.

The Military Court at Kastina is currently discussing a case regarding a training center commander who is accused of peeping at female soldiers while they showered and taking pictures of them with his cellular phone. The officer has since been dismissed.

The IDF Spokesman's Unit said in response: "The Chief Military Police Officer has ordered that an inquiry be launched against the prisoner instructor for disorderly conduct.

"It should be stressed that this is an isolated incident and not a phenomenon as claimed."