Israel/OPT
27.09.01
Urgent Interventions
Israel: cruel and inhuman conditions of detention imposed to children
Case ISR 270901.CC
CHILD CONCERN
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Israel.
Brief description of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by a reliable source of information about the cruel and inhuman conditions of detention of Palestinian child prisoners in Section 8 of Telmond Prison.
According to the information received, the Prison Administration is currently attempting to forcibly move the 23 Palestinian children incarcerated in Section 8 of the prison to Section 7, where conditions are not suitable for human habitation. At least 100 prison guards are massed outside Section 8 in order to enforce the move.
Section 7 reportedly currently holds 36 Palestinian child political prisoners, incarcerated in small cells measuring 2 meters by 2 meters. The stated maximum capacity of Section 7 is 48 detainees. Each cell contains a bunk bed, an open toilet and a small window. The move would mean that some cells would hold three children in a 2m by 2m space. Furthermore, no educational facilities are available in that Section. The situation in Section 8 is reportedly slightly better as the cells are larger with inter-connecting doors.
The same source of information reported that Palestinian child political prisoners are submitted to inhuman living conditions such as lack of windows and ventilation, poor lighting, inadequate and often inedible food, and lack of sanitary toilet facilities. These already deleterious conditions of incarceration seem to have been worsened by the Israeli Prison Authorities.
According to the information received, on 17 September, a Palestinian child in Telmond was cut with a razor blade by Israeli criminal prisoners. The situation is reportedly all the more serious due to the fact that in July 2001 Palestinian lawyers from the West Bank and Gaza Strip were banned from visiting sentenced detainees.
The Prison Administration is reportedly using the section transfer as a means of punishing the children for their continuing protests over detention conditions.
The International Secretariat of OMCT expresses its deep concern about the physical and psychological integrity of Palestinian child political prisoners incarcerated in Section 8 of the Telmond Prison. OMCT recalls that Israel is party to the Convention on the Rights of the Child and, in particular, is bound by article 37 of the Convention according to which no child shall be "subjected to torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment", and when deprived of his or her liberty, to 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".
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Israel, urging them to:
i. put an immediate end to all forms of torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment of Palestinian child prisoners, in accordance with national and international legislation;
ii. take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of all Palestinian children incarcerated;
iii. ensure physical and psychological recovery and social reintegration of the child victims of torture and ill-treatment;
iv. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms of all children throughout the country in accordance with national and international human rights standards, in particular the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
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:
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 E-mail:
Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, Minister of Defense, Ministry of Defense, 7 "A" Street, Hakirya, Tel Aviv, Israel. Fax:(+972-3)691 69 40, E-mail:
Eli Yishai, Minister of the Interior, Ministry of the Interior, Fax: 00972 2 670 1411 E-mail:
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:
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 :
Please also write to the embassy of Israel in your respective country.
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
Geneva, September 27, 2001
CHILD CONCERN
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Israel.
Brief description of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by a reliable source of information about the cruel and inhuman conditions of detention of Palestinian child prisoners in Section 8 of Telmond Prison.
According to the information received, the Prison Administration is currently attempting to forcibly move the 23 Palestinian children incarcerated in Section 8 of the prison to Section 7, where conditions are not suitable for human habitation. At least 100 prison guards are massed outside Section 8 in order to enforce the move.
Section 7 reportedly currently holds 36 Palestinian child political prisoners, incarcerated in small cells measuring 2 meters by 2 meters. The stated maximum capacity of Section 7 is 48 detainees. Each cell contains a bunk bed, an open toilet and a small window. The move would mean that some cells would hold three children in a 2m by 2m space. Furthermore, no educational facilities are available in that Section. The situation in Section 8 is reportedly slightly better as the cells are larger with inter-connecting doors.
The same source of information reported that Palestinian child political prisoners are submitted to inhuman living conditions such as lack of windows and ventilation, poor lighting, inadequate and often inedible food, and lack of sanitary toilet facilities. These already deleterious conditions of incarceration seem to have been worsened by the Israeli Prison Authorities.
According to the information received, on 17 September, a Palestinian child in Telmond was cut with a razor blade by Israeli criminal prisoners. The situation is reportedly all the more serious due to the fact that in July 2001 Palestinian lawyers from the West Bank and Gaza Strip were banned from visiting sentenced detainees.
The Prison Administration is reportedly using the section transfer as a means of punishing the children for their continuing protests over detention conditions.
The International Secretariat of OMCT expresses its deep concern about the physical and psychological integrity of Palestinian child political prisoners incarcerated in Section 8 of the Telmond Prison. OMCT recalls that Israel is party to the Convention on the Rights of the Child and, in particular, is bound by article 37 of the Convention according to which no child shall be "subjected to torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment", and when deprived of his or her liberty, to 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".
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Israel, urging them to:
i. put an immediate end to all forms of torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment of Palestinian child prisoners, in accordance with national and international legislation;
ii. take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of all Palestinian children incarcerated;
iii. ensure physical and psychological recovery and social reintegration of the child victims of torture and ill-treatment;
iv. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms of all children throughout the country in accordance with national and international human rights standards, in particular the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
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:
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 E-mail:
Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, Minister of Defense, Ministry of Defense, 7 "A" Street, Hakirya, Tel Aviv, Israel. Fax:(+972-3)691 69 40, E-mail:
Eli Yishai, Minister of the Interior, Ministry of the Interior, Fax: 00972 2 670 1411 E-mail:
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:
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 :
Please also write to the embassy of Israel in your respective country.
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
Geneva, September 27, 2001