Detention Bulletin

April 2013

Overview April 2013

Detention Figures
238 children detained (= 0.0%) 135 detained inside Israel ( 0.8%) 44 children aged 1215 ( 12.8%) 1 girl in detention

Israeli forces detain a Palestinian teenager in East Jerusalem. DCI

DCI-Palestine NEWS ALERTS

20 April 2013 Video shows Israeli forces using Palestinian teen as human shield 18 April 2013 Beit Ummar family endures Israeli imprisonment of two teen sons 17 April 2013 Palestinian teens held in solitary confinement up to three weeks For more visit: http://bit.ly/WQmfYp

In April, a total of 238 Palestinian children were imprisoned and prosecuted in the Israeli military court system. This is the same number of children as March, which registered the highest number of Palestinian children imprisoned and prosecuted in the system since October 2010. The number of children between the ages of 12 and 15 climbed to 44, an increase of 12.8 percent and the highest number since March 2011. OCHA and other human rights organizations expressed concern over the increasing arrests and detention of children in Hebron. The Palestinian Prisoners Club reported that 30 children, aged 12-17, were arrested in Hebron in April by Israeli forces.

Demonstrations continued in the West Bank throughout April, with clashes erupting between Palestinian protesters and Israeli forces following the death of Maysara Abu Hamdiya, a 64-yearold Palestinian prisoner. Abu Hamdiya died from cancer in Israeli custody on April 17, which was also Palestinian Prisoners Day. DCI-Palestine highlighted in April the story of a family from Beit Ummar, which had both teen sons arrested and imprisoned during 2012. Beit Ummar is located just north of Hebron and in close proximity to the Israeli settlements of Karmei Tzur, Kfar Kfar Etzion, and Migdal Oz. The village is often a flashpoint for clashes between Palestinian youth and Israeli forces.

Number of Palestinian Children in Israeli Detention: January 2008-April 2013

450 400 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0 Jan Page 1 Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

DCI-Palestine Detention Bulletin, Issue 40 April 2013

APRIL 2013 IN FIGURES

Each year approximately 500700 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
According to the latest figures compiled by DCI from sources including the Israeli Prison Service (IPS) and Israeli army temporary detention facilities, there were 238 Palestinian children (12-17 years) in Israeli detention at the end of April 2013, the same as in March 2013.

Total number of Palestinian children in Israeli detention at the end of each month since Jan 2009 - Note: These figures are not cumulative
Jan 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Aver.

389 318 222 170 223

423 343 221 187 236

420 342 226 206 238

391 335 220 220 238

346 305 211 234

355 291 209 221

342 284 202 211

339 286 180 195

326 269 164 189

325 256 150 164

306 228 161 178

305 213 135 195

355 289 192 198 233

12-15 year olds

In April there was an increase in the number of young children (1215 years) being prosecuted in Israeli military courts and receiving custodial sentences in prisons inside Israel. At the end of April, there were 44 young children in detention, an increase of 5 children (12.8%) from March 2013.

Number of young (12-15) Palestinians in Israeli detention at the end of each month since January 2009 - Note: These figures are not cumulative
Jan 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Aver.

50 44 34 26
31

54 41 45 24 39

53 39 45 31 39

47 32 37 33 44

39 25 38 39

47 23 38 35

42 18 40 34

39 20 34 30

40 32 35 28

44 34 30 21

41 32 33 21

42 30 19 23

44 31 36 29 38

Girls in detention
There is currently one Palestinian girl being held in Israeli detention. The 17-yearold girl from Hebron was arrested at a checkpoint on 26 July 2012, after been found in possession of a knife and pepper spray, which she is accused of using on a female soldier.

Number of Palestinian girls in Israeli detention at the end of each month since January 2009 - Note: These figures are not cumulative
Jan 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Aver.

5 0 1 0 1

7 0 0 0 1

6 0 0 0 1

6 1 0 0 1

6 0 0 0

5 0 0 0

4 0 0 1

3 0 0 1

3 0 0 1

0 0 0 1

0 1 0 1

0 1 1 1

3.8 0.3 0.2 0.5 1

Administrative detention
There are currently no Palestinian children being held without charge or trial in Israeli administrative detention. DCI continues to recommend that no child should be the subject of administrative detention and Israeli military law should be amended to reflect this position.

Number of Palestinian children held in Israeli administrative detention at the end of each month since January 2009 - Note: These figures are not cumulative
Jan 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Aver.

5 0 1 0 0

6 0 0 0 0

2 2 0 0 0

2 2 0 0 0

1 2 0 0

1 2 0 0

1 2 0 0

1 2 0 0

1 2 0 0

1 2 0 0

1 2 0 0

0 1 1 0

1.8 1.6 0.2 0 0

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DCI-Palestine Detention Bulletin, Issue 40 April 2013

Case summaries
Lawyers and fieldworkers for DCI-Palestine collect sworn affidavits from Palestinian children in prison and upon their release. These affidavits are drafted 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 brief case summaries are produced. New case summaries are regularly posted here.

3 April 2013
Name of victim: Accusation: Violation: Place of residence: Muhammad T. (10) Unknown Detained while under the age of 12 years Deir Nidham, Ramallah

Muhammad, 10, lives in Deir Nidham near Ramallah. At around 5 pm, while he was near the northern entrance to the village, clashes erupted between Palestinian youth and Israeli soldiers. He ran and hid behind some olive trees to avoid the clashes, but was spotted by a nearby Israeli soldier. Muhammad saw the soldier approaching him and tried to run away, but he tripped and fell over a stone. The soldier caught him and brought him back toward a group of other soldiers. A soldier threw him over his shoulder and carried Muhammad to a military jeep that then transferred him to a military camp just outside of the village. At the military camp, he was brought to a room with three armed soldiers, who told him to give them the names of the stone throwers. They said they would send me home, but I needed to tell them the names of stone thrower, said Muhammad. I told them I did not know their names. I was really scared they might arrest me or even shoot me. Later that evening, Muhammad was driven to Atara checkpoint north of Ramallah, where he was released to the Palestinian police.

5 April 2013
Name of victim: Accusation: Violation: Place of residence: Ali A. (15) & Salah S. (16) Throwing Stones Ill-treatment, unlawful transfer Balata Camp, Nablus

Ali, 15, and Salah, 16, both live in Balata refugee camp in Nablus. At around 4 pm, they were near Huwara checkpoint south of Nablus as Palestinian youth began throwing stones at Israeli soldiers. Soon after arriving at Huwara, soldiers took Ali and Salah by surprise and caught them. In separate incidents, both Salah and Ali were kicked, punched and hit with the stocks of rifles. Their hands were tied behind their backs with a single plastic cord and they were both put into a military jeep located nearby. The boys were transferred to Huwara interrogation and detention center, pulled out of the jeep, blindfolded and forced to sit outside on the ground until night. At night, the boys were placed in a military jeep and transferred to Ariel police station. Salah told DCI-Palestine that while being transferred, he smelled beer in the jeep. One of the soldiers hit him on the head with a glass bottle, while another hit him with what felt like a metal rod. Once at Ariel, photos and fingerprints were taken and they were transferred back to Huwara interrogation and detention center.

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DCI-Palestine Detention Bulletin, Issue 40 April 2013

Case summaries, continued

The next day around noon, they were again transferred to Ariel police station, this time for interrogation. They were both taken to interrogation rooms and each found their father in the room. Salah was interrogated for about an hour, accused of throwing stones and told that the arresting soldiers said they saw him throwing stones and that he had no choice but to confess. The interrogator then read each soldiers statement to him. Salah confessed to throwing stones and signed a statement in Arabic, but was not allowed to read it. Ali denied throwing stones. On April 7, the boys were transferred to Megiddo prison inside Israel. They first appeared before a military court judge on April 9 in Salem. On April 14, both boys were charged and then sentenced to four and a half months in prison, five years probation with an automatic 10 month sentence if arrested again for stone throwing within that period and a 1,000 NIS fine.

Recommendations
No child should be prosecuted in military courts which lack comprehensive fair trial and juvenile justice standards. DCI-Palestine recommends that as a minimum safeguard in the light of consistent reports of ill-treatment and torture, the following: 1. Ensure that no child is interrogated in the absence of a lawyer of their choice and family member; 2. Ensure that all interrogations of children are audio-visually 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; 5. The practice of using solitary confinement on children must be stopped immediately.

For more information on Palestinian child detainees

Urgent Appeals
UA 3/12 Children of the Sea UA 2/12 Forcible transfer UA 1/12 Solitary confinement UA 6/11 Children of Beit Ummar UA 4/11 Children of Azzun UA 3/11 Settler violence

DCIPalestine Report
Bound, Blindfolded & Convicted: Children held in military detention

Other reports
UNICEF Children in Israeli Military Detention WCLAC Womens Voices: Glimpses of life under occupation Breaking the Silence Soldiers Testimonies: Children and Youth UK lawyers Children in Military Custody

Checkpoint 56 in Hebron. DCI

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DCI-Palestine Detention Bulletin, Issue 40 April 2013 DCI-Palestine Detention Bulletin, Issue 37 January 2013