Unlock your cellphone, soldier, or else

Haaretz is continuing its coverage of military justice issues in the Israel Defense Forces. Cellphone searches are the question du jour, as this article indicates. Excerpt:

The Israel Defense Forces is still questioning soldiers who refuse to let their cellphones be searched, despite having promised not to do so.

Last week, military police officers asked a soldier being questioned on suspicion of committing drug offenses for his cellphone’s lock code in order to search it. He refused to divulge it, and was held for a few hours before being released. 

The next day he was summoned for questioning over a completely different offense — obstruction of justice, for refusing to allow the search of his phone. 

It turns out this case isn’t unique. In the past few weeks, several other soldiers who refused to divulge their cellphone lock codes have been questioned on suspicion of obstruction of justice or of disobeying a lawful order. 

Military defense attorneys say it’s a tactic for applying additional, improper pressure on soldiers who are under investigation for other offenses.

The IDF's defense lawyers say military regulations on this question should be in sync with the rules followed in civilian police investigations and say they will bring the matter before the High Court of Justice if the Military Advocate General further delays issuing regulations to achieve parity.