Posted on 11/11/17
| News Source: Arutz-7
Attorney Ben-Gvir says bill to forbid recording conversations will harm ordinary people, not media.
Attorney Itamar Ben-Gvir slammed Coalition Chairman David Bitan's (Likud) plan to propose a bill banning the recording of a conversation without the permission of all parties.
According to Ben-Gvir, "this is an unfortunate bill, If, G-d forbid, it passes, it will severely harm Israeli citizens ability to stand up to the police and other authorities."
"In many of the cases I deal with, the citizens' proofs of what transpired are in the form of recordings. Sometimes the policemen are abusing them, hitting and slamming them. Sometimes the recordings are from communications firms, from insurance companies, and sometimes it's with another body which abuses its power to harm citizens."
"Bitan's bill would bring about a situation in which ordinary people cannot bring proofs, and in any case courts tend to believe police officers over ordinary citizens.
"If this law passes, we will no longer be able to use these recordings, and the police and Prosecutor's Office, as well as the insurance, credit card, and communications companies, will have a huge advantage."
Bitan's bill was originally intended to weaken the media, but Ben-Gvir opposes this aim as well.
"I believe the media must be allowed to record and to bring proofs," he said. "It is true that more than a few journalists are leftists. However, I have no doubt that if you ask prominent right-wing journalists, they will protest this bill as well."
"Besides that, at the end of the day, everyone knows about police immunity. If the media breaks the law, the ones who will suffer are the ordinary people. Bitan's bill is a danger to democracy....and the one who will suffer is the man in the street."