Kidnapped and beaten (illustration)
Photo: Visual/Photos
Tamra residents kidnap gay relative
Young man who left northern Arab town for Tel Aviv chased by his family members, who allegedly assault him and his friend, force him to return home with them
Four residents of the northern Israeli Arab town of Tamra are suspected of kidnapping their homosexual relative and taking him on a 12-hour nightmare, all because of his sexual tendencies. They were arrested when they tried to "hide" their victim in one of the houses in the village.
The young man, 19, had left his family and moved to Tel Aviv, where he thought it would be safer to lead his life, but was persecuted by his relatives.
The four were expected to face the Tel Aviv Magistrate's Court on Wednesday afternoon.
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Several days before he was kidnapped he filed a complaint with the police, saying he was being threatened by his relatives who demanded that he return to the village and "act like a normal person".
On Monday night, the relatives decided to act on their threats. They arrived at the man's house in Tel Aviv's Florentine neighborhood, armed with pepper spray, and waited for him. As they spotted him walking on the street with a friend, they assaulted the two, sprayed them, snatched their relatives and escaped.
The man's friend rushed to call the police and report the incident. Investigators from a Tel Aviv police unit sought the help of the Shafaram Police, and discovered that the car was making its way to Tamra.
The four suspects allegedly beat the young man on their way to the north and threatened him. They held him for 12 hours before being caught by the police a moment before arriving at their hiding place in Tamra.
"This is a serious incident of kidnapping a person over his lifestyle," said Chief Superintendent Miri Peled. "The family found it difficult to accept the man's lifestyle and wanted to push him away by threatening and beating him."
The young man has returned to Tel Aviv with the hopes of being able to lead a quiet life.
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