Petitioners against Emmanuel segregation: Release parents
Organization who filed controversial High Court petition calls judges to issue alternate punishment, says, 'Circumstances clearly show parents will continue to violate court ruling; will not send girls back to school'
The Noar K'Halacha organization, which filed a petition to the High Court of Justice against the segregation of the Beit Yaakov girls' school in Emmanuel that lead to the incarceration of the Ashkenazi girls' parents, filed a response to the petition for the parents' release, asking the court consider an alternative to their imprisonment, such as revoking funds and licenses.
Attorneys Aviad Hacohen and Yeshayahu Avraham wrote in their response, "The circumstances in this case clearly show that the parents will continue violate the court ruling and will not send their girls back to the school."
Therefore, the lawyers added, the parents' release should be considered "and discuss alternative options such revoking budgets and licenses of the institution where the segregation is taking place.
"Since the message that was at the basis of the petition regarding the need to stop the unjust separation and honor the court's rulings has been received, albeit only partially."
Representatives of the organization emphasized that their decision "does not show consent to the parents' prolonged violation of the ruling, and their revolt against the authority of the honorable court."
Haredi protest on Thursday (Photo: Reuters)
The lawyers added in their response that they had never received a copy of the parents' request to cancel their detainment, and that it was not the first time they did not receive copies of court documents filed by the parents.
Meanwhile, Supreme Court Justice Edmond Levy decided on Friday to delay discussion of the appeals filed by mothers from Emmanuel, who requested to cancel the detainment orders, until Sunday. The decision was made due to difficulties in convening the panel of judges before Sunday.
The mothers continued to violate the High Court ruling on Thursday, after they failed to show up at the police station in order to serve their 2-week prison sentence.
The attorneys representing the parents filed an urgent appeal with the High Court of Justice to cancel the detainment orders issued, due to "special circumstances."
According to the lawyers, some of the women are mothers of ailing children, while others are pregnant or have many children. Along with the appeal, the lawyers attached classified documents from the welfare services.
Justice Levy, who was the center of haredi criticism, decided on Thursday to delay the detainment of the 22 women until a decision was made in the matter.
