The Plan to Reclassify Prisoners as Security Prisoners
- ACRI
- 1 hour ago
- 2 min read
On October 20, 2025, ACRI contacted the legal advisors to the government, the Israel Prison Service (IPS), and the Ministry of National Security, following media reports about plans to reclassify anyone incarcerated for remaining in the country illegally from criminal prisoners to security prisoners. The appeal warns against the harmful implications of the new policy and requests that this change not move forward.
In the appeal, Attorney Nitsan Ilani argues that the planned change contradicts IPS orders, which stipulate that a prisoner shall be defined as a security prisoner if they are suspected, accused, or convicted of committing an offense that is security-related in nature, or if an investigation has revealed that it is a security offense. Since staying illegally in Israel is not inherently a security offense, the only way to define a prisoner who has been suspected, accused, or convicted of the offense of staying illegally in Israel as a security prisoner is through an individual investigation of the circumstances of the offense, the motive, as well as other factors. It is not possible to automatically and broadly define all illegal residents in Israel as security prisoners.
The appeal also argues that the change in classification would result in a disproportionate violation of the rights of those incarcerated for an illegal stay, which is not a serious offense. The detention conditions for security detainees and prisoners are much harsher than those for criminal detainees and prisoners. Among other things, there is significant overcrowding in security wings, the prisoners receive less food, and security prisoners do not receive family visits and are denied all contact with the outside world. Moreover, the blanket reclassification of illegal residents could be based on irrelevant or racist motives, given the fact that the planned classification change would apply mainly – and possibly only – to Palestinian prisoners.
ACRI’s appeal, October 20, 2025 (Heb)