Israel/OPT
23.11.01
Urgent Interventions
'Israel: child prisoners detained in the Neve Tertze women's prison in Ramle continue to suffer from serious ill-treatment
Case ISR 111001.1.VAW/CC
Follow up of the case ISR 111001VAW/CC
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
CHILD CONCERN
Torture, Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Israel.
New information
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by reliable sources that the prisoners detained in the Neve Tertze women's prison in Ramle, Israel continue to suffer from serious ill-treatment.
According to the information received, on Sunday 11 November a lawyer sent by Defence the Children International / Palestine Section (DCI/PS) visited the Ramle prison. He was informed by 14 year old Rabaa’ Hamael that her family had not been allowed to visit her since her arrest on 29 May 2001. Rabaa’ also confirmed that the prisoners faced continuous harassment from the prison guards and were sometimes placed in isolation cells.
The same source underlines that the most serious case is that of 14 year old Sawsan Abu Turki, arrested on 6 September 2001. She suffers from epilepsy and is periodically affected by temporary blindness. Despite a letter from her doctor, Sawsan was not allowed to take the medicine she was taking prior to her arrest. She also repeatedly requested to see a specialist doctor, and then only after long periods of waiting in pain was she permitted to meet with a nurse who prescribed her simple paracetamol. Moreover, her daily recreation time was reduced to one hour daily when other prisoners enjoy 2 to 3 hours each day.
OMCT fears for the safety of Rab'a Hamael and Sawsan Abu Turki and calls upon the Israeli authorities not to detain these girls in isolation and to provide them with all necessary medical, including psychological, care. In this regard, Israel as a State Party to the Convention on the Rights of the Child has obligations under Article 39 of the Convention to take appropriate measures to promote the "physical and psychological recovery and social reintegration" of all child victims of torture or any other form of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
OMCT would like to reiterate the concern that it has previously expressed in relation to the generally bad conditions for Palestinian women and girls detained in the Neve Tirtza prison and urges the authorities to ensure that the physical and psychological integrity of all the detainees is respected and protected.
OMCT recalls that as a State party to the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), Israel is bound to comply with the articles contained therein. Article 37 (a) of the CRC provides that "No child shall be subjected to torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment." Article 37 (c) of the Convention states that "Every child deprived of liberty shall be treated with humanity and respect for the inherent dignity of the human person, and in a manner which takes into account the needs of persons of his or her age (…) and shall have the right to maintain contact with his or her family through correspondence and visits…".
Paragraph 66 of the UN Rules for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of their Liberty provides that the solitary confinement of juveniles as a disciplinary measure at the very least constitutes cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. OMCT would argue that the prolonged solitary confinement of children as young as fourteen amounts to torture and should accordingly be prohibited and the perpetrators investigated and appropriately punished.
Brief reminder of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT had been informed by a reliable sources of the continuing torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment of girl prisoners detained in the Neve Tertze women's prison in Ramle, Israel.
OMCT was particularly concerned about the situation of Rabaa’ Hamael (14) who had been detained in an isolation cell, endured beating and was chained to her bed (see OMCT's urgent appeal ISR 240901VAW/CC).
OMCT was also concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of fourteen year old Sawsan Abu Turki who had a history of psychological problems and in July 2001 was hospitalised for three days after having been hit on the head by an Israeli soldier. Sawsan was placed in an isolation cell following her recent transfer to Ramle prison and was not allowed to take the medication that she needed in order to treat her various medical problems, nor to be provided with other medical care. During the nights of 4 and 5 October, Sawsan had her limbs spread and tied to the bed for the entire night. Witnesses reported that she sustained severe cuts to her wrists as a result of being handcuffed in this manner. Her psychological state had allegedly deteriorated to such an extent that she was no longer able to clearly distinguish her identity.
Action requested
Please write to the Israeli authorities urging them to:
i. ensure that Rabaa’ Hamael does not remain in solitary confinement;
ii. guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of the female prisoners in Neve Tertze prison in Ramle at all times, foremost that of Sawsan Abu Turki, and to ensure their access to medical care;
iii. carry out a full and impartial investigation into the alleged torture and ill-treatment in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions provided by law in accordance with international legal standards;
iv. ensure that immediate action is taken to guarantee that the conditions in Neve Tertze prison in Ramle meet the minimum international standards;
v. guarantee all human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with international human rights standards.
Addresses
· Ariel Sharon, Prime Minister, Office of the Prime Minister, 3 Kaplan Street, Jerusalem 91007, Israel. Fax:(+ 972 2)566 48 38 / 691 79 15 E-mail: pm@pmo.gov.il or feedback@pmo.gov.il
· Meir Shitrit, Minister of Justice, Ministry of Justice, 29 Salah al-Din Street, Jerusalem 91029, State of Israel. Fax:(+ 972 2) 62 8 54 38 or Fax: ++ 972 2 628 8618 Email: sar@justice.gov.il
· Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, Minister of Defense, Ministry of Defense, 7 "A" Street, Hakirya, Tel Aviv, Israel. Fax:(+972-3)691 69 40, e-mail: sar@mod.gov.il
· Eli Yishai, Minister of the Interior, Ministry of the Interior, Fax: 00972 2 670 1411 Email: sar@moin.gov.il
· Minister of Police, Ministry of Police, PO Box 18182, 3 Sheikh Jarrah, Kiryat Hamemshala, Jerusalem 91181, State of Israel. Fax:(+ 972 2)582 67 69
· Shimon Peres, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Fax:(+ 972 2) 530 3704 E-mail: sar@mofa.gov.il
· The Supreme Court of Justice, Kiryat Ben Gurion, Jerusalem, Israel. Fax: (+ 972 2) 652 71 18
· Uzi Landau, Minister of Internal Security, Ministry of Internal Security P.O Box 18182, 3 Sheirkh Jarrah, Kiryat Hamemshala jerusalem, 91181, Israel. Fax: (+ 972 2) 582 67 69, E-mail : sar@mops.gov.il
· Director of Neve Tirza Prison, P.O. Box 229, Ramle 72101, Israel, fax: 00972 8 9776652:
Please also write to the embassies of Israel in your respective country.
Geneva, 21 November 2001
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply
Follow up of the case ISR 111001VAW/CC
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
CHILD CONCERN
Torture, Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Israel.
New information
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by reliable sources that the prisoners detained in the Neve Tertze women's prison in Ramle, Israel continue to suffer from serious ill-treatment.
According to the information received, on Sunday 11 November a lawyer sent by Defence the Children International / Palestine Section (DCI/PS) visited the Ramle prison. He was informed by 14 year old Rabaa’ Hamael that her family had not been allowed to visit her since her arrest on 29 May 2001. Rabaa’ also confirmed that the prisoners faced continuous harassment from the prison guards and were sometimes placed in isolation cells.
The same source underlines that the most serious case is that of 14 year old Sawsan Abu Turki, arrested on 6 September 2001. She suffers from epilepsy and is periodically affected by temporary blindness. Despite a letter from her doctor, Sawsan was not allowed to take the medicine she was taking prior to her arrest. She also repeatedly requested to see a specialist doctor, and then only after long periods of waiting in pain was she permitted to meet with a nurse who prescribed her simple paracetamol. Moreover, her daily recreation time was reduced to one hour daily when other prisoners enjoy 2 to 3 hours each day.
OMCT fears for the safety of Rab'a Hamael and Sawsan Abu Turki and calls upon the Israeli authorities not to detain these girls in isolation and to provide them with all necessary medical, including psychological, care. In this regard, Israel as a State Party to the Convention on the Rights of the Child has obligations under Article 39 of the Convention to take appropriate measures to promote the "physical and psychological recovery and social reintegration" of all child victims of torture or any other form of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
OMCT would like to reiterate the concern that it has previously expressed in relation to the generally bad conditions for Palestinian women and girls detained in the Neve Tirtza prison and urges the authorities to ensure that the physical and psychological integrity of all the detainees is respected and protected.
OMCT recalls that as a State party to the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), Israel is bound to comply with the articles contained therein. Article 37 (a) of the CRC provides that "No child shall be subjected to torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment." Article 37 (c) of the Convention states that "Every child deprived of liberty shall be treated with humanity and respect for the inherent dignity of the human person, and in a manner which takes into account the needs of persons of his or her age (…) and shall have the right to maintain contact with his or her family through correspondence and visits…".
Paragraph 66 of the UN Rules for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of their Liberty provides that the solitary confinement of juveniles as a disciplinary measure at the very least constitutes cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. OMCT would argue that the prolonged solitary confinement of children as young as fourteen amounts to torture and should accordingly be prohibited and the perpetrators investigated and appropriately punished.
Brief reminder of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT had been informed by a reliable sources of the continuing torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment of girl prisoners detained in the Neve Tertze women's prison in Ramle, Israel.
OMCT was particularly concerned about the situation of Rabaa’ Hamael (14) who had been detained in an isolation cell, endured beating and was chained to her bed (see OMCT's urgent appeal ISR 240901VAW/CC).
OMCT was also concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of fourteen year old Sawsan Abu Turki who had a history of psychological problems and in July 2001 was hospitalised for three days after having been hit on the head by an Israeli soldier. Sawsan was placed in an isolation cell following her recent transfer to Ramle prison and was not allowed to take the medication that she needed in order to treat her various medical problems, nor to be provided with other medical care. During the nights of 4 and 5 October, Sawsan had her limbs spread and tied to the bed for the entire night. Witnesses reported that she sustained severe cuts to her wrists as a result of being handcuffed in this manner. Her psychological state had allegedly deteriorated to such an extent that she was no longer able to clearly distinguish her identity.
Action requested
Please write to the Israeli authorities urging them to:
i. ensure that Rabaa’ Hamael does not remain in solitary confinement;
ii. guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of the female prisoners in Neve Tertze prison in Ramle at all times, foremost that of Sawsan Abu Turki, and to ensure their access to medical care;
iii. carry out a full and impartial investigation into the alleged torture and ill-treatment in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions provided by law in accordance with international legal standards;
iv. ensure that immediate action is taken to guarantee that the conditions in Neve Tertze prison in Ramle meet the minimum international standards;
v. guarantee all human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with international human rights standards.
Addresses
· Ariel Sharon, Prime Minister, Office of the Prime Minister, 3 Kaplan Street, Jerusalem 91007, Israel. Fax:(+ 972 2)566 48 38 / 691 79 15 E-mail: pm@pmo.gov.il or feedback@pmo.gov.il
· Meir Shitrit, Minister of Justice, Ministry of Justice, 29 Salah al-Din Street, Jerusalem 91029, State of Israel. Fax:(+ 972 2) 62 8 54 38 or Fax: ++ 972 2 628 8618 Email: sar@justice.gov.il
· Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, Minister of Defense, Ministry of Defense, 7 "A" Street, Hakirya, Tel Aviv, Israel. Fax:(+972-3)691 69 40, e-mail: sar@mod.gov.il
· Eli Yishai, Minister of the Interior, Ministry of the Interior, Fax: 00972 2 670 1411 Email: sar@moin.gov.il
· Minister of Police, Ministry of Police, PO Box 18182, 3 Sheikh Jarrah, Kiryat Hamemshala, Jerusalem 91181, State of Israel. Fax:(+ 972 2)582 67 69
· Shimon Peres, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Fax:(+ 972 2) 530 3704 E-mail: sar@mofa.gov.il
· The Supreme Court of Justice, Kiryat Ben Gurion, Jerusalem, Israel. Fax: (+ 972 2) 652 71 18
· Uzi Landau, Minister of Internal Security, Ministry of Internal Security P.O Box 18182, 3 Sheirkh Jarrah, Kiryat Hamemshala jerusalem, 91181, Israel. Fax: (+ 972 2) 582 67 69, E-mail : sar@mops.gov.il
· Director of Neve Tirza Prison, P.O. Box 229, Ramle 72101, Israel, fax: 00972 8 9776652:
Please also write to the embassies of Israel in your respective country.
Geneva, 21 November 2001
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply