Israeli charged with smuggling drugs into Japan dies in detention center

Zero justification for this regardless of whether he was a criminal or not! Heads should roll! Absolute avoidable tragedy!

his applications to prefectural police and the detention center for medical assistance from March 2021 were not approved.

Last month, Tenenboim asked the court to suspend his detention so he could receive professional medical treatment, but his request was similarly denied.

Another death? They could grant him a medical treatment but they refuse it, do they really want him die?

https://japantoday.com/category/crime/kin-of-dead-sri-lankan-detainee-at-immigration-center-to-sue-gov%27t

The facility and the Yokohama District Court had refused to approve special treatment for Amnon Hanoh Tenenboim, 60, even though he was suspected of having a heart condition, lawyer Takashi Takano said.

The Immigration/Detention Center specializes in cruel and unusual punishments.

Democracy and the rule of law is just a very thin veneer in Japan, over feudalism.

Zero justification for this regardless of whether he was a criminal or not! Heads should roll! Absolute avoidable tragedy!

Yeah, I agree. Even a drug mule deserves life-saving health care. This is a fact that Japan's authoritarian justice system really needs to try to wrap its head around.

Another death in custody in Japan. He was denied medical treatment which may not have led directly to his death. However, he should not have been denied medical treatment at all. The Japanese government will condemn the Chinese work camps but it seems that immigration detention in Japan is no different.

An immigration holding jail whoops it’s not a jail, detention holding facility staffed by sadists who aren’t accountable. Again guilty or not death does seem extreme, but nobody is accountable. So if you are sociopath Japan has the job for you.

I have NO respect nor any sympathy for anyone who harms children and the vulnerable, Drug smugglers and dealers are killing our future generations, but denying him medical treatment while in custody is just as bad and cruel.

Murder. Sanctioned murder, and nothing more.

Why was he kept in solitary confinement?

What goes around comes around.

This is ridiculous. The Israeli guy could have gone home and had medical treatment instead of fighting extradition order. No room for sympathy for this drug smuggler.

There is something VERY wrong with the police system in this country.

So is this murder because of bureaucratic denial of medical care?

Another one dies while in custody!!! It is starting to look veeeeeery suspicious!!!! Is this an example of Japan justice?

Immigration in Japan seems to be something of a killing zone for foreigners in Japan.

Another death in detention.. not surprised

but maybe this time there will be blowback. The Israelis will not take this sitting down.

The "guard dogs" of every state in the world are very, very rarely ever held to account: this is what defines authority and is just naked power 101. Japanese government officials and their helpers in uniform are untouchable, beyond the reach of the law.

You guys should have sympathy on innocent children and people killed by drug addicts. Your not happy about this? Hope time won't come when one of your child and family get killed by drug addicts. Earth would be better without it.

with an elastic hair band stretched from under his chin to the top of his head

well it was obviously suicide unless he tripped over and accidentally fell on an elastic hair band.

the question we have do ask is, what drove him to suicide? Solidarity confinement?

@ Meiyouwenti

Where in the article does it say he was fighting extradition???

Around his neck, likely: yes. But how could Tenenboim have commited suicide with an elastic hair band Under his chin to the Top of his head? His air passage is still free from the nose to his lungs. Had his evidently reasonable requests been gradted, Tenenboim would still be alive today.

He should have had medical attention , no doubt about it,

but in the first place, he shouldn’t havé smuggled drugs, specially at his age. So he is the first responsible

Another death in detention and no one should be refused medical treatment.

I wonder if the response from Israel might be a bit tougher than that from Sri Lanka....

Meiyowenti,

since when does Japan just send drug smugglers home? Especially smugglers caught with “large” amounts?

You guys should have sympathy on innocent children and people killed by drug addicts. 

No, you've got it all *ss-backwards: it's the other way round. The criminalization of drug-taking spawns trafficking, corruption, crime, violence and has resulted in the deaths of millions and ruin for millions more. Governments are apparently OK with all this carnage which could be brought to an end via legalization, treatment of addicts and rehabilitation through education and gainful employment. The illegality of the lucrative drug trade and the criminalization of possession clearly is more responsible for mortality figures than the drugs per se, but continues because it brings benefits for those on both sides, who are only in it for the money (and votes).

When people are detained for whatever reason the authority detaining also has the responsibility of health and care of the detainee.

I see where it says he was arrested and charged but it doesn't say anything about a conviction.

I still believe in innocent until proven guilty so calling him a drug dealer is a bit premature.

Anyway, he should have had adequate health treatment while in detention.

LindsayToday  07:14 am JST

Another death in custody in Japan. He was denied medical treatment which may not have led directly to his death. However, he should not have been denied medical treatment at all. The Japanese government will condemn the Chinese work camps but it seems that immigration detention in Japan is no different.

This! I don't get why can't they just contact the foreign ministry of the concerned country and deport the person ASAP, it's less J-government money spent on feeding, clothing and housing the person, plus they don't have to deal with them for any more longer that the situation needs.

He was killed...

It seems that Mr Amnon Hanoh Tenenboim was a resident of Japan (PR) and wasn’t caught at the airport smuggling drugs rather the 100s of kilos of drugs were brought in a freighter.

So, why wasn’t he formally charged and arraigned to court?

Here is the process, often repeated, time and time again that the Japanese use to force a confession isn’t it?

Long periods of detention,lack of medical treatment,solitary confinement,preventing outside contact etc etc.

As the lawyer , Mr Takano said “inhumane”

If similar tactics were repeatedly used by a dictatorship then there would be an international outcry.

When is Japan going to change?

Don’t ever deal with drugs and don’t ever overstay your visa. Not more, not less. Is it really that difficult?

Japan denies medical care even for people who've overstayed their visas, now imagine what they do to foreign drug smugglers.

The case had not been proved against Mr Tenenboim, had it?

There was no guilty verdict but there certainly seems as though there was a fair amount of ill treatment here.

very bad that this guy was not "just" some srilankan,be sure Israel will not treat this lightly...

I don't understand how a rubber band around his chin and head would lead to death.

an elastic hair band stretched from under his chin to the top of his head, suggesting that he may have committed suicide.

Sounds to me like he suffered from sleep apnea and was trying to prevent snoring.

Zero justification for this regardless of whether he was a criminal or not! Heads should roll! Absolute avoidable tragedy!

Zero justification for what? Him taking his own life?

Another case of Japan Illogical Injustice System.

So, this guy was smuggling Meth ? He could have bought that wholesale from North Korea easily.

A dead drug dealer?

My heart bleeds.

In Japan you are guilty until proven innocent, unless you have connections in high places.

@MumbaiRocks!

It was not the police, it was the immigration officials.

Japan is a country of laws and before committing crimes, especially being a foreigner, you have to think it very carefully...

Do not commit crimes, much less drug trafficking and being a foreigner in Japan !!...

That person knew what he was doing, drug traffickers do a lot of damage to any country and regardless of his condition he found his consequences..

Their country..

Their law...

Their rules..

Fact 1: Smuggle drugs and you always know there is a risk of being caught and dying in prison one way or another.

Fact 2: Even if you smuggle drugs to a country that doesn't have the death penalty for drug smuggling, there is always Fact 1 to consider.

Israel is a strong country.

They can force Japan to release the video footage of death and finger point the killers.

This one crime is not gonna be ignored by the UN

All conservative countries are well aware of Israel protection of Israels convicted paedophiles. It took 10 year of Israele's legal system to extradite a convicted paedophile Malka Leifer. So I can,t see Japan giving a inch to Israels objection to it citizens treatment.

Israel has a strong stand internationally, especially in the UN. And with the blessings and protection of the USA.

Japanese justice, on the other hand, doesn't have a good image abroad.

It’s still a death in custody and needs to be properly investigated. The detention centre, just like a prison has a duty of care towards those in their charge.

“Tenenboim had complained of poor health immediately following the arrest, but his applications to prefectural police and the detention center for medical assistance from March 2021 were not approved.”

if the man asked for medical assistance why was this not provided? Is it something one has to ‘earn’???

If John-San's testimony above is true, this guy was just an arrogant drug smuggling criminal. It's unusual in this comment space for criminals to be given so much, if any, sympathy... well, unless of course it offers an opportunity for Japan bashing. There may be good reason, his own rabid racism perhaps, for why he was sequestered from the genpop. Regarding the hairband, depending on how it was placed, it could have constricted the right and left carotids which, really, would be a fairly painless way for someone looking at a LONG prison sentence in a foreign prison to avoid such a future. Apparently his cardiac issues were not the cause and we only have the lawyers word (!) (and probably a 'yakusa' lawyer) for the description of his health. And, of course, all things being relative, people die in local American jails daily.

Please!

Lets not give credibility to any random guy from internet.

Sources?

Hope this time there's enough international pressure to force immigration the release all the video and medical evidence.

It's so sad that they never release any evidence, ever.

Why would you smuggle drugs just after a heart operation? Seems to have been preplanned as an excuse to avoid jail time.

I have no Love for drug dealers or smugglers. But seriously

But the Yokohama detention center said the same day that Tenenboim had been found lying on a bed in a solitary cell with an elastic hair band stretched from under his chin to the top of his head, suggesting that he may have committed suicide.

I was a paramedic I have seen plenty of suicides, never heard of seen such a thing,

Basic anatomy unless he stuffed his nose airtight, and the hairband was strong enough to not only hold his mouth shut but seal it also I am calling this a ln attempt to cover up criminal negligence.

TokyoLiving

Today 01:28 pm JST

Japan is a country of laws and before committing crimes, especially being a foreigner, you have to think it very carefully...

> Do not commit crimes, much less drug trafficking and being a foreigner in Japan !!...

> That person knew what he was doing, drug traffickers do a lot of damage to any country and regardless of his condition he found his consequences..

> Their country..

> Their law...

> Their rules

Careful what you wish for.

You could find yourself in the wrong place and wrong time and a summary execution would deprive you of a chance to prove you are innocent.

We are talking about $145 million worth of drugs.

It was a detention center not an Immigration center.

He probably still detained awaiting more trials .

there is 3 type of detentions first one before prosecution youget detained at a police station .

If the prosecutor decided to prosecute you will be held at a bigger detention center waiting the end of your tials judging from the amount of drugs it might take years . after found guilty then you be sent to Prison .

For the guy work at a ski resort and kicked him in the head. This guy is a big smuggler $145 million worth of drugs for sure he have connections with some bad guys and gangs so you should be lucky he didn't send some of his connections to your hotel .

Source

https://oshiro-tenshu.net/detail?id=705018931255805025

It is unlikely there will be an autopsy so I guess his family will claim the body.

The justice system here really stinks:

No video footage, no medical records, no autopsy, no public explanation, ...

You can get away with murder if you are part of the system.

I sincerely thought that the diplomatic relations between Japan and Israel were better than that !

To be accurate he was an alleged smuggler as he had not been tried. A large quantity of stimulants was found. He was arrested for smuggling. Was there no evidence to connect him to the drugs, no fingerprints, no DNA? If there was no evidence, why was he held for two years, two years in solitary? It seems unlikely that if he were guilty there would be none. Are the police incapable of finding evidence even with surveillance everywhere especially airports? Do the police lack the means, the equipment to obtain sufficient forensic evidence for a successful prosecution? Have there been cases of drugs being slipped into someone's baggage? I am not sure if baggage still has to be unlocked.

I remember there was a case of someone opening his suitcase in his hotel and finding quite a bit of marijuana or hashish in it. He stupidly called the police and told them about it. I say stupidly because he could have been held until he confessed. He was lucky. It turned out the customs were checking their detection system by stuffing random bags with drugs. Evidently their systems were not up to par. That guy was lucky, but who knows what the reality of Tenenboim's situation was. If he were in fact innocent, it would not be the first time the police or immigration have held and refused to admit their error and release an innocent person.

It is quite possible he was guilty, was a drug smuggler, was evil. However, it is quite possible he was not. I believe someone is innocent until proven guilty, and it seems the police were not capable of proving this.

Everyone is innocent until they have their day in court. In isolation cell when found dead was he there for the whole two years. Or was he in a single cell? Not being allowed visitors is very extreme not even is family.

Tokyo, maybe Japanese should get tougher,when people kill someone,they only get charged with abandoning a corpse instead of murder

Or the police should work professionally: gathering evidence, letting the defendants defend themselves against the evidence, and so on.

All in public eye, no torture, no forced confessions.

I know it is the Law but it don't make it right. Holding a person for over 2 years without ever having the opportunity to see family. Sure he may be a criminal but sometimes these detentions do not fit the crime at all. I love Japan and I love living here but this ability to detain a person almost indefinitely and not allowing them to talk to family, that is so scary. I'm honest to a fault, went out of my way at the gas station yesterday to give back 43 yen that the machine gave me extra after pumping gas, but really, I almost live in fear of ever getting into trouble in Japan.

Charged for smuggling but maintained innocence

Sounds like they tortured him into committing suicide or killed him themselves.