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Draft evaders protest
In Ahisamach, a haredi man was detained under suspicion of causing disruptively loud noise, and police later discovered he was a draft dodger, prompting word to spread and a large group to arrive to pressure police to release the suspect.
“a large group arrived at the area to pressure police to release the suspect”
The Jerusalem Post reported that the suspect was released approximately half an hour later, before the Military Police could arrive, and that an organization that aids haredi draft dodgers said the man was freed before the Military Police arrived.
The same report said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told officials that if re-elected he would not advance a law that seeks to freeze the arrests of haredi draft evaders, which his coalition recently passed last month.
Netanyahu said the legislation was unsuccessful and would be discontinued in the next government, and he added that draft evaders who do not study Torah will either “enlist or go to prison.”
Iran detentions without trial
In Iran, the Caspian Post said at least 29 Turkish individuals arrested during the January 2026 protests remain in detention at Ardabil Central Prison, with their cases unresolved and no trials held.
The article said Hengaw verified the identities of the 29 detainees, listing names including Farhad Jafari, Reza Javid, Mohammadreza Asari, and Armin Nadiri.
It also said repeated efforts by detainees’ families to secure temporary release on bail were met with obstruction and vague responses from security and judicial authorities.
The Caspian Post added that some detainees had been denied regular phone calls and family visits, and that several months after their arrests they had yet to receive a fair hearing.
Newark rally after deaths
In Newark, dozens of protesters gathered outside the Delaney Hall immigration detention center on Saturday, Aug. 8, after two recent reported deaths of detainees.
“Dozens of protesters gathered outside the Delaney Hall immigration detention center in Newark on Saturday, Aug. 8”
The Bergen Record said the demonstration was mostly peaceful, but two protesters were hit with pepper spray by the center’s staff after protesters grabbed the entry gate, and protesters yelled at staff members near the gate as workers and visitors entered and exited the facility.
The rally came a day after state Attorney General Jennifer Davenport launched an investigation into alleged civil rights violations by the GEO Group, the Florida company operating Delaney for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement under a 15-year, $1 billion contract.
The article also quoted Gov. Mikie Sherrill saying, “We will not tolerate a facility that abdicates any transparency and accountability,” and it described the state Department of Health suing the Geo Group in June over inspectors being blocked from observing conditions in the medical unit, bathrooms, showers, sleeping areas, and the facility’s heating, ventilation and air conditioning system.