Detention Bulletin

July 2013

Overview July 2013

Detention Figures
195 children detained ( 1.0%) 99 detained inside Israel ( 49%) 35 children aged 12-15 ( 14.6 %)

Israeli forces detain two Palestinian youth at Huwara checkpoint near Nablus. Ihab Gafree

As of July 31, 2013, a total of 195 Palestinian children were imprisoned and prosecuted in the Israeli military court system. The number of children between the ages of 12 and 15 was 35, a decrease of 14.6 percent. The average for the year is higher than the annual averages of the past three years. Children below 12 years continued to be detained by Israeli forces in July, despite clear prohibitions of the practice under Israeli military law. On July 15, Israeli soldiers detained Wadia M, 5, near the Ibrahimi mosque in Hebron for several hours after he allegedly threw a stone at an Israeli settlers car. The incident was caught on video. Previously in April, Israeli forces detained a 10-year-old boy for several hours after he was caught up in clashes

near Ramallah. A month earlier, Israeli soldiers detained, blindfolded and hand tied a 9-year-old boy for nearly six hours in Hebron, and, in a separate incident, grabbed a 10-year-old boy as he played on the street with friends. In an op-ed published in +972 Magazine, DCI-Palestine writes that Israel seldom holds its officials and individual perpetrators accountable for violations of Palestinian human rights, particularly against children. The resulting impunity grants Israeli forces a license to expand, rather than curb, violations systemic to Israels 46-yearold military occupation. Out of seven complaints filed by DCIPalestine in January and February 2013 on behalf of Palestinian children subjected to ill-treatment by Israeli forces, not one investigation has been opened by Israeli authorities.

DCI-Palestine NEWS ALERTS

22 August 2013 The arrested development of Palestinian child exdetainees 21 August 2013 Failing to abide by regulations, Israeli soldiers inflict serious injuries to Palestinian children 20 July 2013 Op-ed: Justice denied: Prolonged occupation and Palestinian child detainees, +972 Magazine 28 June 2013 Op-ed: Children in the crosshairs: Lessons from the alDura affair, +972 Magazine For more visit: http://bit.ly/WQmfYp

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

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

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

DCI-Palestine | Detention Bulletin|Issue 43|July 2013

JULY 2013 IN FIGURES

Each year approximately 500-700 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
According to the latest figures compiled by DCI from sources including the Israeli Prison Service (IPS) and Israeli army temporary detention facilities, there were 195 Palestinian children (12-17 years) in Israeli detention at the end of July 2013, a 1.0% increase from the previous month.

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

346 305 211 234 223

355 291 209 221 193

342 284 202 211 195

339 286 180 195

326 269 164 189

325 256 150 164

306 228 161 178

305 213 135 195

355 289 192 198 221

12-15 year olds

In July, a total of 35 Palestinian children between the ages of 12 and 15 were imprisoned and prosecuted in the Israeli military court system. This represents a 14.6% decrease from the previous month.

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 48

47 23 38 35 41

42 18 40 34 35

39 20 34 30

40 32 35 28

44 34 30 21

41 32 33 21

42 30 19 23

44 31 36 29 40

Girls in detention
During July, there were no Palestinian girls held in Israeli military detention.

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 1

5 0 0 0 0

4 0 0 1 0

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 0.7

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 0

1 2 0 0 0

1 2 0 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

DCI-Palestine | Detention Bulletin|Issue 43|July 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.

9 July 2013 Name of victim: Accusation: Location: Violation: Wadia M. (5) Throwing stones Old City of Hebron Detained while under the age of criminal responsibility

Israeli soldiers detained Wadia, 5, near the Ibrahimi mosque in Hebron for several hours after he allegedly threw a stone at an Israeli settlers car. Around 1:15 pm, while at work, Wadias father, Karam, received a phone call from a neighbor notifying him that his son had been detained by Israeli forces near his home. Karam rushed back toward his house to see Wadia sitting on the ground surrounded by several Israeli soldiers. Wadia was visibly very scared, and was crying as one of the soldiers grabbed him, according to an eyewitness. An Israeli officer told Karam that Wadia was being detained because he threw a stone at an Israeli settler's car. An argument ensued as Karam insisted that Wadia be released, and soldiers then bound and blindfolded Karam. Both Wadia and Karam were walked to a military camp about 250 meters (820 feet) away. After about two hours Israeli forces transferred Karam and Wadia to the Palestinian police. At the police station, Karam signed a document stating that his son would not thrown stones, and if he did, Karam would be fined 5,000 Jordanian dinars ($7,050 USD).

10 July 2013 Name of victim: Accusation: Location: Violation: Yazan H. (16) Throwing stones Tulkarem Ill-treatment, unlawful transfer

Israeli soldiers arrested Yazan, 16, at a checkpoint on his way home from Ramallah after a day of work. Around 2 pm, Israeli soldiers demanded and held Yazans ID for several minutes at a checkpoint between Nablus and Tulkarem in the northern West Bank. A soldier then ordered Yazan to get out of the car stating that he was under arrest. He was pulled out of the car, his hands were tied behind his back and he was blindfolded. Yazan was then struck in the back with the stock of a rifle and fell to the ground, where he was hit and kicked several times. Yazan was then put into a military jeep and transferred to a military camp. Soldiers pulled me out and made me sit on the ground in the scorching sun for three hours, during which time soldiers passing by would slap me hard, said Yazan. I was fasting, and I asked them to let
3
DCI-Palestine | Detention Bulletin|Issue 43|July 2013

Case summaries, continued

me use the bathroom many times but they refused. During interrogation, Yazan was confronted with statements and confessions from other child detainees that alleged Yazan had thrown stones, as the interrogator shouted at him and pounded on the table. Yazan signed a statement in Arabic denying all of the allegations. He was eventually transferred to Megiddo prison inside Israel where he was strip searched upon arrival. He appeared before a military court judge for the first time on 11 July at Salem military court.

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

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DCI-Palestine 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

DCI-Palestine | Detention Bulletin|Issue 43|July 2013 DCI-Palestine Detention Bulletin, Issue 37 January 2013