RAMALLAH // Israel yesterday said it would not charge anyone over the death of Prisoner X, despite fresh evidence that prison officials had been negligent.
Ben Zygier, a Israeli-Australian alleged to have been a Mossad spy, was found hanged in the bathroom of his cell in December 2010.
In a court document released yesterday, Israeli prison officials were accused of failing to prevent the apparent suicide of Zygier, who had suffered from severe anxiety during his imprisonment.
But the justice ministry said the evidence was insufficient to bring any charges of negligence against officials.
The 2010 report, which was written by Daphna Kedrai, a judge at the magistrate court in the city of Rishon LeTzion, criticised prison officials for not responding adequately to Zygier's mental condition. He was described as being suicidal, and had been distraught after an emotional encounter a day before he died. "I have found alleged evidence of the guilt of functionaries in [Israel's prison service] in causing the deceased's death," Ms Kedrai wrote.
The document did not disclose details of the circumstances surrounding Zygier's imprisonment, which Israeli authorities have kept under extreme secrecy using court gag orders and military censors.
Australian media reports claimed Zygier, 34, a native of Melbourne, was a Mossad agent who has been rested for exposing secrets related to Israeli security.
Israel has refused to comment on the spying allegations.
hnaylor@thenational.ae
* With additional reporting by Agence France-Presse
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