Following the petition Honenu filed on the intention to transfer Ami Popper from the Massiyahu Prison to the Ayalon Prison, the Israeli Prison Service decided to cancel the transfer.

Honenu announced that it filed a petition with the Petah Tikvah District Court following the decision of the Israeli Prison Service to transfer Ami Popper from the Torah Wing of the Massiyahu Prison to the Ayalon Prison.

The decision apparently stemmed from the desire of certain individuals in the Israeli Police and the Israeli Prison Service to separate Popper from former President of Israel Moshe Katsav, who is in the same wing. Katsav is in the Torah Wing following a meeting between Popper and Lior Katsav on one of Popper’s furloughs.

Also Popper’s last furlough was suddenly canceled and in the end the Israeli Prison Service allowed him only one day of leave and only after Honenu filed a petition. Apparently there are certain individuals interested in harming former President of Israel Katsav by transferring Popper to different prison.

Honenu attorney Adi Kedar filed a petition against transferring Popper, who is considered a model prisoner and also suffers from health issues.

The court required the Israeli Prison Service to respond to the petition and representatives from the Israeli Prison Service informed the court that they had rescinded the decision to transfer Popper from the wing in which he has been for many years.

Needless to say, the Israeli Prison Service offered no explanation for either the intention to transfer Popper or the cancellation of the decision.

Honenu attorney Adi Kedar, who is representing Popper, reported in response that, “I am pleased that the Israeli Prison Service came to its senses at the last moment and announced that Ami Popper would not be transferred to a different prison. I hope that this will be the last time that we are forced to involve the court in decisions of this sort and I hope that the witch-hunt against Ami Popper will stop.”

Honenu spokesman Shalom Pollack said that, “Time and time again we see that Jewish security prisoners are denied their basic rights. It is Honenu’s job to ensure that these prisoners are treated equally to other prisoners and that their rights are protected.”

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)