The woman, who was born into a haredi family but who is no longer Orthodox, has now filed a petition with the Lod District Court that claims she is in isolation only because she is transgender. She has a history of robbery and prostitution and is serving her third jail term, this time for robbery and assault of her clients.
Ex-Haredi Transgender Woman Prostitute Sues Over Prison Solitary Confinement
Shmarya Rosenberg • FailedMessiah.com
A 24-year-old male-to-female transgender inmate is being held in solitary confinement at the Neveh Tirtzah women's prison, Ha’aretz reported.
The woman, who was born into a haredi family but who is no longer Orthodox, has now filed a petition with the Lod District Court that claims she is in isolation only because she is transgender. She has a history of robbery and prostitution and is serving her third jail term, this time for robbery and assault of her clients.
In what is typical for the Israeli justice system, multiple robberies and assaults warranted a sentence of only 1-1/2 years in prison.
The Israel Prison Service defended her isolation placement in its response to her court petition.
"In any case in which a prisoner whose identity is not unambiguous, detention is required in isolation and that is out of concern regarding harm to the [prisoner] or prisoners in the vicinity,” the Israel Prison Service insisted, noting that in the transgender woman’s case, she is only in isolation at night.
Two years ago she appealed a conviction for the robbery of gas station and the issue of the Israel Prison Service keeping transgender prisoners in isolation first became public. At the time, High Court Justice Salim Joubran criticized that policy and noted that the law requires transgender prisoners be given the same prison conditions as non-transgender inmates to the maximum extent possible.
The hearing on this most recent case is slated to be heard December 23 in the Lod District Court.
Many runaway children or children thrown out of their family homes for behavioral issues or issues of sexuality and gender identity are forced into prostitution in order to survive, but it is unclear if either played a role in the this case.