Unlawful Use of Stun Grenades in Prisons
- ACRI
- 4 hours ago
- 2 min read
On July 13, 2026, ACRI submitted an appeal to the Attorney General and the Commissioner of the Israel Prison Service, demanding an end to the use of stun grenades inside prison cells and other enclosed spaces in prisons. In the appeal, Attorney Yael Seidemann presented testimonies from lawyers regarding the frequent—at times almost daily—use of stun grenades inside cells, even when there had been no prior violence, resistance, or tangible danger.
Stun grenades are dangerous. They can be life-threatening, and cause hearing and vision problems, burns, shrapnel wounds, and psychological harm. The risk is particularly acute when they are deployed in small, overcrowded, and poorly-ventilated cells. The use of stun grenades is a violation of prisoners' rights to bodily integrity, personal security, dignity, and even life, and it poses particular risks to prisoners with disabilities, people with psychosocial disabilities, and individuals held in solitary confinement. They should not be used for routine searches, punishment, intimidation, or harassment. In some cases, those harmed were denied immediate medical treatment, and many have been deterred from filing complaints for fear of retaliation by prison guards.
The use of stun grenades in circumstances other than those of acute, immediate danger exceeds the authority of the Israel Prison Service, and fails to meet the requirement that force be used minimally and only as a last resort. It also further exacerbates the harm caused by overcrowded and harsh prison conditions.
ACRI is demanding that the use of stun grenades inside cells or any other enclosed space be completely prohibited and that the use of stun grenades in open areas within detention facilities be regulated through a public procedure that would limit their use to exceptional circumstances involving an immediate threat to life or the prevention of an escape. Moreover, there should always be a preference for using less harmful methods, and any suspicion of the unlawful use of force be proactively reported to investigative and disciplinary authorities, even in the absence of a complaint by the affected prisoner or prisoners.
ACRI's appeal, July 13, 2026 (Heb)