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Detention BulletinJanuary 2010January 2010•318children detained•44aged 12-15• No girls in detention• No children in administrativedetention
General detentionfigures
Boy arrested by Israelisoldiers. Photo credit:BBC
„Jailers came and tookme to solitaryconfinement. They tiedmy hands to the bedfor three days.‟U.E. (13 years)
January 2010 - overviewThere were318 Palestinian childrendetainedinIsraeliprisonsandtemporary detention centres at theend of January 2010. This represents a4% increase compared with theprevious month and the first rise in thechild detention figures in six months.There were44 young childrenaged 12-15 detained at the end of January2010, a slight increase (two children)compared with the previous month.There are currentlyno Palestinian girlsinIsraelidetention facilitiesandnoPalestinian children in Israeliadministrativedetention.Military Order 1644purporting to establisha juvenile military court has now been inoperation for four months. However, DCI-Palestine lawyers have noticed fewsubstantive changes to the practice andprocedure in the military courts as a resultof this order.
CONTENTSGeneral detention figures12 to 15 year oldsGirls in detentionAdministrative detentionRecent case summariesJuvenile military courtOther developmentsRecommendations
450400350300250200200820092010
150100500
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun
Jul Auggraphic.Sep Oct Nov Dec
Caption describing picture or
Number of Palestinian children in Israeli detention: Jan 2008 - Jan 2010
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DCI-Palestine●Detention Bulletin, Issue 1●JANUARY 2010
JANUARY 2010IN FIGURES
Each year approximately 700 Palestinian children, some as young as 12 years,are detained and prosecuted in the Israeli military court system.The most common charge is for throwing stones. The overwhelming majority ofthese children are detained inside Israel in contravention of Article 76 of theFourth Geneva Convention.Total number of Palestinian children in Israeli detention at the end of each monthfiguressince Jan 2008-Note: These figures are not cumulativeJan200820092010FebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecAver.
Total
According to the latestcompiled by DCI-Palestine fromsources including the Israeli PrisonService and Israeli army detentionfacilities, there were 318 Palestinianchildren detained in Israeli prisonsand temporary detention centresinside Israel and the OPT at the endof January 2010. This represents a 4%increase compared with the previousmonth and the first rise in the childdetention figures in six months.
327389318
307423
325420
327391
337346
323355
324342
293339
304326
297325
327306
342305
319355
12-15 year oldsDCI-Palestine remains concernedby the high number of youngchildren between the ages of 12and 15 being detained. At the endof January 2010, 44 children in thisage category were being held inIsraeli detention facilities, a slightincrease (two children) comparedwith the previous month.
Number of young (12-15) Palestinians in Israeli detention at the end of eachmonth since January 2008-Note: These figures are not cumulativeJan200820092010FebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecAver.
385044
4054
4553
3947
3739
3447
3342
2139
2340
2344
2541
3042
3244
Girls in detentionThere are currently no Palestiniangirls in Israeli detention facilities.
Number of Palestinian girls in Israeli detention at the end of each month sinceJanuary 2008-Note: These figures are not cumulativeJan200820092010FebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecAver.
250
37
36
46
36
65
64
53
63
60
50
70
4.73.8
Administrative detentionThere are currently no Palestinianchildren in Israeli administrativedetention.However, there are stilltwo young adults being detainedwho were children when theyreceivedtheiradministrativedetentionorders(MohammadBaran(UA3/09)andRamiShilbayieh).
Number of Palestinian children held in Israeli administrative detention at the endof each month since January 2008-Note: These figures are not cumulativeJan200820092010FebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecAver.
1850
36
132
122
101
131
131
131
111
81
51
60
101.8
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DCI-Palestine●Detention Bulletin, Issue 1●JANUARY 2010
Case summariesLawyers and fieldworkers for DCI-Palestine collect sworn affidavitsfrom Palestinian children in prisonand upon their release.These affidavits are taken in Arabicand further reviewed by trainedstaff to determine appropriatefollow up action.Each year, around 100 of theseaffidavits are translated into Englishfrom which these brief casesummaries are produced.Additional case summariesavailable upon request.are
H.S.On 30 December 2009, a 15-year-old boy from Al ‘Arrub refugee camp, Hebron isarrested and accused of throwing stones.At 6:00pm H.S. was coming home from a bakery with a friend when he was surroundedby Israeli soldiers and accused of throwing stones – denied accusation – hands tiedbehind back and blindfolded – beaten all over body – thrown in the back of a jeep andinjured leg – stripped down to underwear and ordered to climb up and down a hill forthree hours – transferred to Etzion Interrogation and Detention Centre – interrogated –untied and blindfold removed – accused of throwing stones – denied accusation – hitrepeatedly on the back and the back of the head with a broom stick – interrogated forthree hours – signed papers in Hebrew – transferred to Ofer Prison – strip searched – feltupset and embarrassed – placed in detention cell with adults – charged with throwingstones, empty bottles and membership of Fateh – transferred to Remonim prison(Telmond Compound), inside Israel, in contravention of Article 76 of the Fourth GenevaConvention.
M.Q.On 6 January 2010, a 15-year-old boy from the Al ‘Arrub refugee camp, Hebron isarrested and accused of throwing stones.„He wrapped a piece of cloth allaround my head and startedbanging it against the wall.‟M.Q. (15 years)At around 2:00am, Israeli soldiers arrest M.Q. from his family home – hands tied behindback and blindfolded – placed in a military jeep – transferred to Etzion Interrogation andDetention Centre – made to sit on the ground for two hours – hit by passing male andfemale soldiers – asked to have hand ties loosened but slapped across the face instead– interrogated next morning – verbally threatened –„Spill out everything or I‟ll call AbuKhalil and let him shove a stick into your ass, you‟ll see your dead father if you don‟t talkbecause I‟ll send you to the grave,‟– accused of throwing stones – denied theaccusation - pushed and hit – cloth tied around his head and then banged repeatedlyagainst the wall – turned and spun around many times – made to sit on the floor andkicked whilst tied and blindfolded – provided a confession – transferred to Ofer Prison –strip searched causing shame – detained with adults – accused of throwing stones andmembership of a banned organisation (PFLP).
U.E.On 6 January 2010, a 13-year-old boy from the Al-Jalazun refugee camp, near Ramallah, isarrested for throwing stones at a military jeep at Qalandiya Checkpoint:„One of them shouted at me to takeoff all my clothes. I became veryscared of him and did what heordered me to. He searched myclothes while I was naked as theday I was born. “You‟ll beinterrogated and if you don‟tconfess, I‟ll f**k you,” he said.‟At 3:00pm, U.E. threw two stones at an Israeli military jeep at Qalandiya Checkpoint – one stone hit thejeep’s tyre – hands tied with plastic ties and blindfolded – kicked several times on the legs – thrown into theback of a jeep – slapped by soldiers for around five minutes – verbal abuse –‘your sister’s a c**t’– arrived atunknown destination about one-and-a-half hours later – taken to a room, untied and blindfold removed –soldier shouted at U.E. to remove all his clothes – naked – sexual threats –‘You’ll be interrogated and if youdon’t confess, I’ll f**k you,’– afraid and shivering – dressed and taken for interrogation – accused ofthrowing stones, possession of knife and attempting to stab a soldier – shown a knife – never seen knifebefore – denied accusations – shouted at – taken outside by a soldier and ordered to remove clothing again– sexual threats –‘I’ll take you to the bathroom and f**k you, and take off your clothes by force’– refusedand beaten with barrel of rifle – ordered to sit on the ground for one-and-a-half hours – kicked and slappedU.E. (13 years)by passing soldiers – tied and blindfolded and placed in a jeep – slapped and verbal abuse -‘Your sister’s ac**t, lower your head.’– taken to unknown location and interrogated – interrogator threatened to removehis clothes again – slapped several times – scared – signed confession written in Hebrew – appeared in OferMilitary Court, parents not present - transferred to Ofer Prison and Ramonim Prison inside Israel – held insolitary confinement and tied to bed in Ramonim Prison for three days because he was considered‘dangerous’.
‘Juvenile Military Courts’ –Military Order 1644On 29 July 2009, the Israeli military commander in the West Bank, Gadi Shamni, issuedIf you wish to take action, thenplease consider lobbying yourelectedrepresentativesanddemand that pressure be appliedon Israeli authorities to cease thepracticeofmistreatingandprosecuting Palestinian children asyoung as 12 in military courts, anddetaining them inside Israel.Military Order 1644 purporting to establish a juvenile military court. The order came intoeffect on 1 October 2009, and has now been in operation for four months. Sincecoming into effect on 1 October 2009, lawyers for DCI-Palestine have noticed fewsubstantive changes to the procedures in the military courts other than that childrenare now generally (but not always) tried separately from adults. No other significantdiscernable changes have occurred in the practice or procedure of the militarycourts in relation to juveniles.***DCI-Palestine‟s statement on the first four months of operation of the „juvenile military court‟
Other developmentsFor further information please readDCI-Palestine’s latest report onPalestinian child prisoners:On 5 January 2010, DCI-Palestine submitted 15 cases to the UN Special Rapporteur onthe Situation of Human Rights in the Palestinian Territories Occupied since 1967. Thecases involve children aged 14 and 15, who were arrested and prosecuted in theIsraeli military court system in 2009, and accused of throwing stones.
On 6 January 2010, DCI-Palestine submitted 13 cases to the UN Special Rapporteur onTorture for further investigation. The cases relate to the ill-treatment, and in some casestorture, of Palestinian children being held at the notorious Al Jalame Interrogation andPalestinian Child Prisoners: Thesystematic and institutionalised ill-treatment and torture of Palestinianchildren by Israeli authoritiesDetention Centre near Haifa, in Israel, between February 2008 and March 2009.Children reported being held in ‘Cell No. 36’ in Al Jalame, in cruel and inhumaneconditions.
***
Recommendations
No child should be prosecuted in military courts which lack comprehensive fair trialand juvenile justice standards. DCI-Palestine recommends that as a minimumsafeguard in the light of consistent reports of mistreatment and torture, that the Israeliauthorities:1.Ensure that no child is interrogated in the absence of a lawyer of their choiceand family member;2.3.Ensure that all interrogations of children are video recorded;Ensure that all evidence suspected of being obtained through ill-treatment ortorture be rejected by the military courts;The Detention Bulletin is a monthlypublication produced by Defencefor Children International-PalestineSection. To subscribe, gotowww.dci-pal.orgFor further information contact anadvocacy officer at[email protected]
4.Ensure that all credible allegations of ill-treatment and torture be thoroughlyand impartially investigated and those found responsible for such abuse bebrought to justice.
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DCI-Palestine●Detention Bulletin, Issue 1●JANUARY 2010
