MK Rabbi Moshe Gafni tabled a bill that would require
providing families with legal council in the event the court
orders an autopsy.
The current law allows the investigating judge to order an
autopsy and delayed burial or disinterment in order to
determine the cause of death. However the law makes no
allowances for the deceased's relatives or another
organization to object to the court order through legal
representation before the autopsy is performed.
According to the bill, which seeks to defend both the
family's rights and the public interest in matters of
kovod hameis, if the family does not have a lawyer,
the state attorney would appoint one.
The bill also proposes making an official in charge of
respect for the dead. In the event no relatives are available
the official would defend the deceased's interests.
