AG urges court to freeze law granting government control over police internal affairs

Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara urged the High Court of Justice to freeze a new law granting the justice minister control over the Department for Internal Police Investigations (DIPI). Passed in June, the law is seen by Baharav-Miara as politicizing law enforcement and endangering civil rights, warranting an interim order and eventual annulment. She argued that the legislation creates a politically dependent, parallel prosecution service with “unprecedented powers” that operates without professional oversight. Critics of the law, including Justice Ministry professionals, also contend it compromises DIPI’s independence and is part of a broader government effort to control legal power.