Criminal & Police Record Expungement for Ethiopian-Israelis — Eligibility Check

What does the law say?

In 2024 the Knesset passed the Expungement of Criminal and Police Records of Ethiopian-Israelis Law, 5784-2024 (Sefer HaChukim 5784, p. 1094). The law followed the Palmor Committee report and a State Comptroller report that documented over-policing of the Ethiopian community in public-order offenses — including around the 2015 and 2019 protests.

The law establishes: a criminal-record entry of an Ethiopian-Israeli for a public-order offense listed in the law's schedule, committed until December 31, 2020 (16 Tevet 5781) — shall be deleted from the criminal register, and the parallel police record shall be cancelled.

Who counts as an "Ethiopian-Israeli"?

Per section 1 of the law: a person who was born in Ethiopia, or one of whose parents was born in Ethiopia.

Eligibility conditions

The deletion applies when all of the following hold:

1. The offense is a public-order offense listed in the law's schedule (see below)
2. The offense was committed until December 31, 2020
3. No actual imprisonment was imposed for that offense
4. There is no additional criminal or police record

Which offenses are deleted?

The schedule lists offenses by exact statutory sections:

• Penal Law, 5737-1977: sections 151-158, 216, 275, 287(a), 288, 288a and 382a(a) — including unlawful assembly, rioting, obstructing a police officer, insulting a public servant and obstructing a public servant
• Criminal Procedure Ordinance (Arrest and Search) [New Version], 5729-1969: section 47(a)
• Police Ordinance [New Version], 5731-1971: section 79(1)(b)

Important: assault of a police officer is not listed in the schedule — such a record is not deleted under this law.

How does it work in practice?

Deletion is automatic — no application is required. The Israel Police carries out the deletion, and the law requires it to report to the Knesset's Constitution, Law and Justice Committee within six months on implementation and the number of records deleted or cancelled (section 3).

How to verify your record was deleted

1. Every person may review their own criminal information — free of charge, at a police station, after identification
2. You can also submit a request for a criminal information certificate via the Israel Police page on gov.il
3. If the record still appears and you believe it meets the law's conditions — seek legal advice (below)

Record not deleted? Not sure?

Tebeka — the legal-aid center for the Ethiopian community offers free legal advice: 072-2424622, tebeka.org.il. Contact them also if you are unsure whether your offense is in the schedule, or if an additional record blocks deletion — other tracks may exist (e.g. a pardon request, or expiry and deletion under the general Criminal Register Law).

Stopped or detained on the street? Know your rights — Stopped on the street? Your rights and Rights in police encounters and how to complain.

> Legal note: This is general information, not legal advice. The eligibility check below follows the statute's wording only and is not a binding determination. For a concrete case, consult a lawyer or Tebeka.

Sources

• The law's text (Wikisource, Hebrew)
• The law's text — Nevo
• Criminal information certificate request — Israel Police, gov.il
• Criminal information (criminal & police registers) — Kol Zchut)