[Israel] Supreme Court reduces transgender man's sentence

[Amelia Pond]

Supreme Court reduces transgender man's sentence
Aviel Magnezi, 09.13.13, 09:52

The Supreme Court on Thursday reduced the sentence of a transgender man who took part in an armed robbery when he still lived as a woman. The judges took into consideration the fact that the man, who underwent an initial sex change operation, may face difficulties in jail due to Israel Prison Service (IPS) guidelines stating that inmates whose sexual identity is not clear be held in solitary confinement for fear they will be harmed.

In 2010 the transgender man and two other people robbed a convenience store at a gas station in Eilat by holding a knife to the storekeeper's throat. The three fled the scene with NIS 1,000 ($280) in cash. They were each sentenced to 15 months in prison by the Beersheba District Court.

[Adam (birkin)]

I don't really think that's fair. If a person commits a crime, they should be punished for it equally under the law. It's not like transgender people don't know that the law also applies to them and that jail could be, at best, a very unpleasant place for us.