Videos that show the identities of five IDF soldiers who were arrested for the alleged abuse of a terrorist at Sde Teiman were circulated on Arab social media networks on Sunday.

The videos were published in violation of a gag order issued by the court.

Attorney Adi Keider, who represents several of the soldiers, sent an urgent letter to the military court to ban the entry of reporters to court discussions and to investigate the identity of the culprit who published the videos.

In his letter, Keidar slammed the court for allowing reporters to attend the court hearings while trying to ban entry to soldiers’ relatives. “Since the hearings began, we have experienced many difficulties in bringing in relatives, friends, and even assistants and representatives of various organizations,” he wrote.

“Despite this, throughout the entire period, the IDF spokesperson and the media were given free rein to attend the hearings. Is it appropriate for reporters to sit in the courtroom while family members wait for hours in vain in the hot sun?”

“And now, exactly what I feared occurred. A few hours ago, Arab media published videos from the courtroom in which, among other things, the faces of the suspects and their relatives appear, in flagrant violation of the gag order.”

“This is yet another scandal that joins a series of serious leaks. I’m requesting that from now on the IDF spokesperson and journalists be denied entry to hearings, as well as the launch of an in-depth investigation regarding the identity of the person who distributed the videos contrary to the gag order.  The matter should be addressed immediately and with great severity.”

Later on Monday, the court ordered a ban on all photojournalists at the court hearings.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)