On 10 May 2010, Petach Tikva Magistrate Court Judge, Einat Ron, decided to lift the gag order prohibiting the publication of information on the detention of two Israeli Arabs suspected of security offenses, espionage and contact with enemy agents.
Dr. Omar Said was detained on 24 April 2010 and Amir Makhul was detained on 6 May 2010. Both face serious charges of security offenses, espionage, and contact with members of Hezbollah. Under the restrictions of the Criminal Procedure (Detainee Suspected of Security Offense) (Temporary Order) Law - 2006, they were both also denied the right to meet with their attorneys.
Initially approved by Judge Ron, the gag order encompassed the information on the detention of Said and Makhul, as well as on the existence of a gag order.[1] This is the second case in recent months in which an Israeli court approved such a sweeping gag order. In the previous case, Judge Ron approved a gag order on the detention of Anat Kamm, who was detained and later placed under house arrest for allegedly revealing sensitive security information.[2] In both cases, despite the issuing of the gag orders, relevant information was leaked to the international media. Thus, both the Kamm case and the Said and Makhul cases raise serious questions about the propriety and efficacy of issuing sweeping gag orders at this day and age.