Detention Bulletin June 2010
General detention figures
The Wall, Abu Dis, Occupied Palestinian Territory – photo credit: GhtH
June 2010 • 291 children detained • 23 aged 12-15 • 2 children in administrative detention • 0 girls in detention
‘During the entire 36 hours, my hands were still tied behind my back with plastic cords and I was blindfolded. I was sitting in the burning sun.’ N.O (14 years)
CONTENTS General detention figures 12 to 15 year olds Girls in detention
June 2010 - overview There were 291 Palestinian children detained in Israeli prisons and temporary detention centres at the end of June 2010. This represents a decrease of 14 children (five percent) from the previous month. Out of this total, there were 23 young children aged 12-15 detained at the end of June 2010. This represents a decrease of two children (eight percent) compared with the previous month.
At the end of June 2010, there were two boys being held in administrative detention (UA 3/10), without charge or trial. There are currently no girls in detention. On 7 June 2010, DCI-Palestine submitted 50 cases of ill-treatment to the UN Committee Against Torture in accordance with the follow-up procedure adopted by the Committee when it last reviewed Israel’s compliance with the Convention against Torture in May 2009.
450 400 350 300
Administrative detention Recent case summaries Other developments Recommendations
250
2008
200
2009
150
2010
100 50 0
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun
Caption describing picture or
Jul Aug graphic. Sep Oct Nov Dec
Number of Palestinian children in Israeli detention: Jan 2008 - Jun 2010
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DCI-Palestine ● Detention Bulletin, Issue 6 ● June 2010
JUNE 2010 IN FIGURES
Total
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 of these children are detained inside Israel in contravention of Article 76 of the Fourth Geneva Convention. Total number of Palestinian children in Israeli detention at the end of each month
According to the latest figures since Jan 2008 - Note: These figures are not cumulative compiled by DCI-Palestine from sources including the Israeli Prison Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Service (IPS) and Israeli army detention facilities, there were 291 2008 327 307 325 327 337 323 324 293 Palestinian children (12-17 years) detained in Israeli prisons and 2009 389 423 420 391 346 355 342 339 temporary detention facilities inside Israel and the OPT at the end of June 2010 318 343 342 335 305 291 2010.
12-15 year olds DCI-Palestine remains concerned at the number of young children (1215 years) being prosecuted in Israeli military courts and receiving custodial sentences. At the end of June 2010, 23 children in this age category were being held in Israeli detention facilities, a decrease of two children compared with the previous month.
Girls in detention As of 30 June 2010, there were no Palestinian girls being held in Israeli detention facilities.
Administrative detention DCI-Palestine remains concerned that Israeli authorities have returned to the practice of imprisoning children without charge or trial in administrative detention. On 26 June 2010, Moatasem Nazzal (UA 3/10) was issued with a second administrative detention order for three months. According to a statement made by Israeli officials to the UN Human Rights Committee on 14 July, the second boy in detention was released in early July. Page 2
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Aver.
304
297
327
342
319
326
325
306
305
355 322
Number of young (12-15) Palestinians in Israeli detention at the end of each month since January 2008 - Note: These figures are not cumulative Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Aver.
2008
38
40
45
39
37
34
33
21
23
23
25
30
32
2009
50
54
53
47
39
47
42
39
40
44
41
42
44
2010
44
41
39
32
25
23
34
Number of Palestinian girls in Israeli detention at the end of each month since January 2008 - Note: These figures are not cumulative Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Aver.
2008
2
3
3
4
3
6
6
5
6
6
5
7
4.7
2009
5
7
6
6
6
5
4
3
3
0
0
0
3.8
2010
0
0
0
1
0
0
0.2
Number of Palestinian children held in Israeli administrative detention at the end of each month since January 2008 - Note: These figures are not cumulative Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Aver.
2008
18
3
13
12
10
13
13
13
11
8
5
6
10
2009
5
6
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
0
1.8
2010
0
0
2
2
2
2
1.3
DCI-Palestine â—? Detention Bulletin, Issue 6 â—? June 2010
Case summaries
A.H.
Lawyers and fieldworkers for DCIPalestine collect sworn affidavits from Palestinian children in prison and upon their release. These affidavits are taken in Arabic and further reviewed by trained staff to determine appropriate follow up action. Each year, around 100 of these affidavits are translated into English from which these brief case summaries are produced. Additional case summaries available upon request.
On 6 June 2010, a 15-year-old boy from Qalandiya Camp is arrested at 2:00pm at Qalandiya Checkpoint: Arrested by soldiers and accused of wanting to throw a Molotov cocktail - beaten on arms - tied and blindfolded - transferred to Atarot Police Station - threatened prior to interrogation - accused of wanting to throw a Molotov cocktail at soldiers - 'I'll beat you hard if you don't say that' - taken for interrogation which was tape recorded - confessed due to fear from previous threat - 'I was scared that he might beat me if I didn't confess' - signed confession in Hebrew - transferred to Ofer Prison – A.H.’s case last came before a military court on 24 June and the case was adjourned – meanwhile, A.H. remains in detention.
are
A.B.
‘I felt something was placed over my head and I’m almost sure it was a nylon sack. The sack was placed over my head for about five minutes, during which time I felt I was choking.’ A.B. (17 years)
On 7 June 2010, a 17-year-old boy from Al Arrub Refugee Camp, near Hebron, is arrested at 2:30am and accused of throwing stones: Arrested by soldiers from the family home - slapped across the face - hands tied and blindfolded - placed on the floor of a jeep - transferred to Etzion Interrogation and Detention Centre, inside the settlement of Gush Etzion - placed in a shipping container and then taken outside and left tied and blindfolded in the sun - nylon sack placed over head twice, for five minutes on each occasion causing choking sensation - threat of rape - 'If you don’t confess, a man named Abu Zaki will rape you and f**k you because he loves little children and he’ll f**k you' - scared - taken for interrogation blindfold removed but hands remained tied - interrogator introduced himself as Captain Dawoud - A.B. believes this is the same person who threatened him with rape confessed to throwing stones - signed papers in Hebrew - further beatings during detention in Etzion – A.B. is currently being detained in Ofer Prison.
N.O. *** MEDIA REPORTS
5 June 2009 - The Independent 30 June 2009 - Time 28 May 2010 - Haaretz 30 May 2010 - AlJazeera 10 June 2010 - Haaretz 14 June 2010 - Haaretz 1 July 2010 - Haaretz 3 July 2010 - Haaretz
***
On 14 June 2010, a 14-year-old boy is arrested in Nablus on his way to work and accused of throwing stones at soldiers: Soldiers accuse two boys of throwing stones - hands tied behind back and blindfolded kicked in the legs - placed on the floor of a military vehicle - felt pain every time vehicle went over a bump - transferred to Huwwara Interrogation and Detention Centre - kept tied and blindfolded outside and deprived of sleep for 36 hours - provided with food and water once - permitted to urinate against a wall once during 36 hours - left in the sun without shade - remained tied and blindfolded for 36 hours - transferred to Ari'el Settlement and interrogated by a policeman who called himself Issa Haddad - accused of throwing stones - denied accusation - threatened - 'I will slap you so hard your head will stick to the floor' - confessed - signed document in Arabic without knowing its contents transferred back to Huwarra and left outside for another 36 hours - transferred to Megiddo Prison inside Israel - sentenced by Salem Military Court on 17 June 2010 to 50 days imprisonment and a fine of NIS 500 (US$130).*
* GDP per capita (2008) – US$1,1331 (Source: Passia 2010)
If you wish to take action, then please consider lobbying your elected representatives and demand that pressure be applied on Israeli authorities to cease the practice of mistreating and prosecuting Palestinian children as young as 12 in military courts, and detaining them inside Israel.
50 Cases submitted to UN Committee Against Torture Twelve months after the UN Committee Against Torture reviewed Israel’s compliance with the Convention Against Torture, DCI-Palestine has collected over 100 sworn affidavits from children who report being ill-treated, and sometimes tortured, during interrogation by Israeli authorities. The overwhelming majority (61 percent) of these children are accused of throwing stones, an allegation most deny. On 7 June 2010, DCI-Palestine submitted 50 of these cases to the Committee as part of the follow-up
*** URGENT APPEALS UA 1/10 – Al Jalazun UA 2/10 – Detention in Israel UA 3/10 – Admin. Detention
***
procedure in order to draw attention to the continued widespread, systematic and institutionalised use of illegal interrogation methods by Israeli authorities against Palestinian children. The intention behind the abuse appears to be to intimidate and coerce confessions from children as young as 12 years, which are then used to obtain convictions in military courts followed by imprisonment inside Israel. The wholesale disregard for the rights of these children is perhaps best supported by a recent review of 100 affidavits that found children were forced to sign confessions in Hebrew, a
VOICES FROM THE OCCUPATION
Voices – Nadeem and Jihad Voices – Sexual assault Voices – 7-year-old summonsed
language they do not understand, in 32 percent of cases.
Other developments On 26 June 2010, a 16-year-old boy, Moatasem Nazzal, was issued with a second administrative detention order for three months. The stated reason for issuing
*** For further information please read DCI-Palestine’s latest report on Palestinian child prisoners:
Moatasem with a second order is 'because he endangers security of the region'. This order was confirmed by a military court in early July. Moatasem has now been held without charge or trial since 20 March 2010, and may be released on 26 September 2010, but has no guarantee how long his detention will eventually last. Please continue to send urgent appeals on behalf of Moatasem – Urgent Appeal 3/10.
Recommendations No child should be prosecuted in military courts which lack comprehensive fair trial Palestinian Child Prisoners: The systematic and institutionalised illtreatment and torture of Palestinian children by Israeli authorities ***
and juvenile justice standards. DCI-Palestine recommends that as a minimum safeguard in the light of consistent reports of mistreatment and torture, that the Israeli authorities: 1.
Ensure that no child is interrogated in the absence of a lawyer of their choice and family member;
The Detention Bulletin is a monthly publication produced by Defence for Children International-Palestine Section. To subscribe, go to www.dci-pal.org For further information contact an advocacy officer at ria@dci-pal.org
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2.
Ensure that all interrogations of children are video recorded;
3.
Ensure that all evidence suspected of being obtained through ill-treatment or torture be rejected by the military courts;
4. Ensure that all credible allegations of ill-treatment and torture be thoroughly and impartially investigated and those found responsible for such abuse be brought to justice. DCI-Palestine ● Detention Bulletin, Issue 6 ● June 2010