Women praying at Jerusalem's Western Wall win court decision

JERUSALEM, April 25 (UPI) -- Jerusalem's "Women of the Wall" should not have been arrested for praying aloud while wearing prayer shawls at the city's Western Wall, a court ruled Thursday.

Five members of the group of 20 women, who hold a monthly prayer service at the holy site, were arrested in April for "disturbing public order," the Jewish Telegraphic Agency reported.

The Jerusalem District Court ruled the "Women of the Wall" should not have been arrested. Judge Moshe Sobell noted a 2003 Supreme Court decision forbidding women to wear prayer shawls was never intended to apply criminal violations to praying women.