The prosecution has closed an investigation into former Communications Ministry director-general and state witness Shlomo Filber’s allegation that prison staff conducted an unlawful and degrading search on him during his 2018 detention at the Hadarim facility, it announced on Wednesday.
Prosecutors informed Filber’s attorney that investigators found no evidence to support the claim, leading to the case’s closure.
Filber first raised the allegation during his testimony in the Case 4000 corruption trial and later repeated it in a civil lawsuit filed against the state. He argued that upon entering custody as part of the Lahav 433 probe, he was subjected to a search that violated proper procedures and his rights.
The national prison-guards investigations unit conducted what the prosecution described as a thorough review, taking statements from Israel Prison Service personnel who served at the time and reconstructing available documentation from seven years ago. After assessing the material, prosecutors said the inquiry “did not establish any foundation for a criminal offense.”
The closure applies only to the criminal investigation and does not resolve the separate civil suit Filber has filed. That case, which alleges broader mistreatment by state authorities, continues independently under a different legal standard.
Filber’s claims resurfaced as part of his broader criticism of investigative methods used during Case 4000, in which he is a key state witness. Filber is considered central to the prosecution’s case. Over the past few years, there have been recurring disputes over interrogation pressure, detention conditions, and the boundaries of lawful investigative conduct in the context of the trial.
Allegations of improper searches or mistreatment
Courts have repeatedly found that such claims do not undermine the admissibility or validity of Filber’s testimony.
In general, allegations of improper searches or mistreatment are difficult to prove long after the fact, especially when documentation is incomplete and staff turnover is high. The state maintains that Filber’s allegation was not substantiated.
Yonah Jeremy Bob contributed to this report.