A former security guard at the prime minister’s residence has been convicted of committing indecent acts against two female colleagues and barred from public service for five years.
The state disciplinary court for civil servants ruled that Nikita Shtirov, who worked at the Jerusalem residence, engaged in inappropriate sexual conduct toward two fellow guards between July and September 2022, during the Bennett-Lapid government.
According to the verdict, Shtirov placed his hand on one woman’s chest and, in another incident, groped a colleague multiple times. The court said the conduct included grabbing her thighs, slapping her buttocks and inserting a security inspection stick between her breasts inside her shirt.
Judge Aya Deutscher Kornhauser said the behavior was especially serious because it took place in the workplace during a sensitive security role. She noted the acts would fall at the lower end of criminal severity but were aggravated by the public and professional context.
The court sentenced Shtirov to a severe reprimand, a five-year ban from state service and a five-year ban from the Prime Minister’s Office. Prosecutors had sought tougher penalties, including a 10-year ban from state service and a 12-year ban from the office.
Shtirov originally faced four disciplinary charges of sexual harassment. Two were dropped after the complainants declined to testify, and he was acquitted on those counts. He was convicted on the remaining two.
Defense attorney Merav Zamir argued that Shtirov had already been dismissed from his post and had not worked since, saying the disciplinary process was less rigorous than a criminal trial. The court rejected those claims, ruling that dismissal did not substitute for punishment and that Shtirov could still find work in private security.
Shtirov requested that his name not be published, citing his young age, recent marriage and his wife’s pregnancy. The court denied the request, saying the public’s right to know outweighed his personal circumstances. The complainants’ identities remain under court protection. His name was released following a 30-day publication delay.