Coercion against children arrested in Jalazun refugee camp during their interrogation / Release of two children while most remain detained

After mass arrest of children in Jalazun Refugee Camp, coercion used during the subsequent interrogations/ Release of two children, detention of eight children in Ofer Prison and uncertainty on the case of other seven

The International Secretariat of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) has received new information on the following situation in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT).

New information

The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by Defence for Children-Palestine section (hereafter DCI-Palestine), a member organisation of OMCT SOS-Torture network, that, following the raid of the Israeli army on Al-Jalazun refugee camp on the night between February 10 and 11, 2010, at least 17 children aged from 14 to 17 years old were arrested; two of them were later released. Reports indicate that the children were first taken to the Israeli settlement of Beit El, and then to Binyamin Police Station and Ofer Interrogation and Detention Centre, near Ramallah.

Furthermore, according to the information received, the children and their families reported the use of excessive force by the Israeli army during the arrests, as well as ill-treatment and coercion during the subsequent interrogation sessions.

Evidence, including affidavits obtained by DCI-Palestine, shows that the children suffered from serious humiliations and violations of their rights during their arrest, transfer, interrogation, detention and court appearances, which include the following:

• they were beaten up during the arrest, sometimes in front of members of their families;
• they were not informed neither their families about the reason of their arrest and the place of their transfer;
• they were blindfolded and their hands tied on several occasions during the transfer and interrogation phase;
• they were interrogated in the absence of a lawyer and family member, and the interrogation sessions were not video recorded;
• they were slapped, beaten up and threatened during their interrogation mainly to get them confess they had been involved in throwing stones, and even Molotov cocktails or homemade grenades for some of them, at Israeli soldiers in 2009 and 2010;
• they were forced to sign papers.

Out of the 17 children who were arrested, the following two were released:

• Mohammad N. (17), detained for two hours;
• Nidal H. (15), detained for four days.

The following eight children have already appeared twice in Ofer military court and they are all still detained in Ofer prison, run by Israel in the West Bank:

• Ahmad G. (14), charged with throwing stones and preparing and throwing Molotov cocktails in February 2009 and February 2010, as well as charged with possessing a knife in June 2009; next court appearance on 1 March 2010;
• Mohammad M. (15), not yet charged, proceedings adjourned for further interrogation, next court appearance on 24 February 2010;
• Malek N. (15), not yet charged, proceedings adjourned for further interrogation, next court appearance on 24 February 2010;
• Ahmad N. (15), not yet charged, proceedings adjourned for further interrogation, next court appearance on 24 February 2010;
• Khaled D. (15), not yet charged, proceedings adjourned for further interrogation, next court appearance on 24 February 2010;
• Ahmad S. (16), not yet charged, proceedings adjourned for further interrogation, next court appearance on 24 February 2010;
• Naser S. (15), not yet charged, proceedings adjourned for further interrogation, next court appearance 24 February 2010;
• Malek A. (14), charged with throwing stones in 2009 and January 2010, next court appearance on 11 March 2010.

The situation of the other seven is still under investigation by DCI-Palestine:

• Mohammad S. (16),
• Zaid Z. (16),
• Yasin N. (17),
• Amer A. (17),
• Mahmoud S. (16),
• Moayad R. (16),
• Mohanad E. (age unknown).

Reminder of the situation

At around 2:00 a.m. on Thursday, 11 February 2010, Israeli soldiers entered Al Jalazun Refugee Camp near Ramallah, in the West Bank and went from house to house and started rounding up, beating and harassing residents of the Camp. According to information obtained by DCI-Palestine, at least 17 children were arrested and taken away together with adults.

Information obtained from residents’ testimonies, show that, during the raid, Israeli soldiers allegedly broke or blasted open doors of houses and thus terrified the children. It was also reported that some Israeli soldiers beat up children in their bed to wake them up. Residents of the camp reported being terrified and not having been subjected to such a violent night raid in years.

The mass arrest and ill-treatment of at least 17 children from the Al Jalazun Refugee Camp, on 11 February 2010, is not an isolated incident. Approximately 700 Palestinian children are reported to be victims of systematic and institutionalised ill-treatment by Israeli authorities each year in the OPT. OMCT strongly condemns this operation and similar ones which would appear to constitute yet another exercise in the excessive use of force in violation of Israel’s obligations under international human rights and humanitarian law.

Action requested

Please write to the authorities in Israel urging them to:

1. Guarantee, in all circumstances, the physical and psychological integrity of the arrested children;
2. Also guarantee their immediate and unconditional access to legal assistance, medical care and members of their families;
3. Order their immediate release in the absence of valid legal charges that are consistent with international legal standards, or, if such charges exist, bring them promptly before an impartial, independent and competent tribunal that will ensure due process at all times;
4. Carry out a prompt, effective, thorough, independent and impartial investigation into the events, the result of which must be made public, in order to bring those responsible before a competent, independent and impartial tribunal and apply penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions as provided by the law;
5. At all times ensure strict respect for international human rights and humanitarian law in the exercise of its jurisdiction, including in connection with military operations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Addresses

• Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister, Office of the Prime Minister, 3, Kaplan Street, PO Box 187, Kiryat Ben-Gurion, Jerusalem, Israel, Fax: +972- 2-651 2631, Email: pm_eng@pmo.gov.il
• Mr. Menachem Mazuz, Attorney General, Fax: + 972 2 627 4481; + 972 2 628 5438; +972 2 530 3367
• Brigadier General Avihai Mandelblit, Military Judge Advocate General, 6 David Elazar Street, Hakirya, Tel Aviv, Israel, Fax: +972 3 608 0366, +972 3 569 4526, Email: arbel@mail.idf.il, avimn@idf.gov.il
• Permanent Mission of Israel to the United Nations Office and Specialized Institutions in Geneva, Avenue de la Paix 1-3, 1202 Geneva, Fax: +41 22 716 05 55, Email: mission-israel@geneva.mfa.gov.il

Please also write to the embassies of Israel in your respective country.

Geneva, 25 February 2010

Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.