Convicted assassin of Yitzchak Rabin, Yigal Amir, who is serving a life sentence, is being moved from 17 years of solitary confinement to the a modified general population. Actually, until 2006, he was under 24/7 camera surveillance. The new arrangement will not place him in general population but he will be with others for a number of hours daily. This new arrangement is expected to be implemented in a number of days.

Amir was brought before a prison board twice annually, requesting he be removed from solitary confinement. The Prison Authority accepted the recommendation of the Shin Bet that moving him to the general population would place him in life threatening danger, compelling him to remain in solitary for the past 17 years. In addition, he never expressed remorse for his actions.

A number of months ago the High Court of Justice ruled that he must be permitted to daven with a number of other prisoners not to exceed three. A district court ruled to permit taking him from solitary confinement.

Israel Prison Authority officials have announced they will be very careful selecting the prison and which prisoners will be permitted to come into contact with Amir when he is moved into a general population setting.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)