Israel/OPT
10.01.00
Urgent Interventions
Israel/Palestine Autonomous Areas: arrest and detention by Israeli military forces of 16 Palestinian minor
Case ISR 100100.CC
CHILD CONCERN
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention regarding the following situation ISRAEL.
Brief description of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT has received information from reliable sources concerning the arrest and detention by Israeli military forces of 16 Palestinian minors, ranging from 12 to 16 years of age, accused of throwing stones.
According to the information received, large numbers of Israeli military forces surrounded the houses of the children in the middle of the night and forcefully demanded that the children be handed over to them. The one exception was a 14-year-old who was arrested around 4pm on 22 December, again with strong military presence, shortly before the Iftar dinner, marking the end of Muslim fasting for the day.
The arrested are the following:
Name D.O.B. Place Date of Arrest
1. Imad Abu Ayyash 29.8.85 Jalazon 27.12.99
2. Ibrahim Qattawi 1986 Jalazon 25.12.99 Released
3. Mohammad al-Araishi 25.6.85 Jalazon 26.12.99
4. Rami Zahra 28.8.85 Jalazon 26.12.99
5. Khalil Safi 1986 Jalazon 25.12.99 Released
6. Mohammad Dar Salhiya 13.8.85 Jalazon 27.12.99
7. Mohammad Malki 3.12.85 Jalazon 26.12.99
8. Mohammad Mubarak 16.6.84 Beitunia 1.1.00
9. Bishar Jamil Abu Aliya 4.8.85 Al Mughayeer 1.1.00
10. 'Abd al-Shafi Dahli 14.1.85 Beitunia 22.12.99
11. Zayd Ismail 1984 Beitunia 28.12.99
12. Issam Hamdan 1984 Beituna 28.12.99
13. Maher Mansour 14.10.85 Beituna 28.12.99
14. Qaiser Odeh 19.5.83 Beitunia 28.12.99
15. Ahmad Khalil 1987 Beitunia 1.1.00 Released
16. Mohammad Sharif 1986 Beitunia 1.1.00 Released
According to the Defence for Children International/Palestine Section’s Attorney Khaled Quzmar, who visited all of the detained, the children were taken for interrogation at Beit El Detention Center, near Ramallah, immediately following their arrest, without allowing the children to sleep. During interrogation, it was reported that two of the children were beaten and the others were threatened with physical abuse, and confessions were extracted from the arrested children.
Since the time of the arrests, four of the minors (ages between 12 and 13) have been released, two of whom were forced to pay a 2000 shekel fine (~US$ 450), and two of whom the Legal Adviser refused to accept their arrest. The remaining children were brought before the military court at Beit El, where the military judge extended the periods of detention until 22 February 2000. Given the lengthy period of the extension, DCI/PS's Attorney has filed an appeal protesting the decision. A court date has been set for 18 January to hear the appeal. In the meantime, the minors remain in Beit El Detention Center.
Actions requested
Please write to the Israeli authorities urging them to:
i. guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of all remaining detainees at all times and ensure immediate access to medical care, particularly that of those children reportedly beaten;
ii. order an immediate investigation into the circumstances of the arrest of the above-mentioned persons and all allegations of ill-treatment and threats, and bring those responsible to justice;
iii. order the immediate release of all children if they are being held in detention without any valid charges or, in the event that there is, bring them immediately before a competent and impartial tribunal and guarantee their full procedural rights as well as their right to legal counsel at all times, in conformity with the international human rights standards;
iv. guarantee all human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with international human rights standards, particularly the Convention on the Rights of the Child (Article 37), ratified by Israel.
Addresses
Ehud Barak, Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, Office of the Prime Minister, 3 Kaplan Street
Hakirya, Jerusalem 91007, Israel, Faxes: +972 2 566 4838 and +972 3 691 7915
Minister of Justice, Ministry of Justice, 29 Salah al-Din Street, Jerusalem 91029, State of Israel. Fax : + 972 2 6285 438
Minister of Defense, Ministry of Defense, 7 "A" Street, Hakirya, Tel Aviv, Israel. Fax: +972 3 697 62 18.
Minister of Police, Ministry of Police, PO Box 18182, 3 Sheikh Jarrah, Kiryat Hamemshala, Jerusalem 91181, State of Israel. Fax : + 972 2 5826 769.
The Embassy of Israel in your respective countries
Geneva, 10th January 2000
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
CHILD CONCERN
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention regarding the following situation ISRAEL.
Brief description of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT has received information from reliable sources concerning the arrest and detention by Israeli military forces of 16 Palestinian minors, ranging from 12 to 16 years of age, accused of throwing stones.
According to the information received, large numbers of Israeli military forces surrounded the houses of the children in the middle of the night and forcefully demanded that the children be handed over to them. The one exception was a 14-year-old who was arrested around 4pm on 22 December, again with strong military presence, shortly before the Iftar dinner, marking the end of Muslim fasting for the day.
The arrested are the following:
Name D.O.B. Place Date of Arrest
1. Imad Abu Ayyash 29.8.85 Jalazon 27.12.99
2. Ibrahim Qattawi 1986 Jalazon 25.12.99 Released
3. Mohammad al-Araishi 25.6.85 Jalazon 26.12.99
4. Rami Zahra 28.8.85 Jalazon 26.12.99
5. Khalil Safi 1986 Jalazon 25.12.99 Released
6. Mohammad Dar Salhiya 13.8.85 Jalazon 27.12.99
7. Mohammad Malki 3.12.85 Jalazon 26.12.99
8. Mohammad Mubarak 16.6.84 Beitunia 1.1.00
9. Bishar Jamil Abu Aliya 4.8.85 Al Mughayeer 1.1.00
10. 'Abd al-Shafi Dahli 14.1.85 Beitunia 22.12.99
11. Zayd Ismail 1984 Beitunia 28.12.99
12. Issam Hamdan 1984 Beituna 28.12.99
13. Maher Mansour 14.10.85 Beituna 28.12.99
14. Qaiser Odeh 19.5.83 Beitunia 28.12.99
15. Ahmad Khalil 1987 Beitunia 1.1.00 Released
16. Mohammad Sharif 1986 Beitunia 1.1.00 Released
According to the Defence for Children International/Palestine Section’s Attorney Khaled Quzmar, who visited all of the detained, the children were taken for interrogation at Beit El Detention Center, near Ramallah, immediately following their arrest, without allowing the children to sleep. During interrogation, it was reported that two of the children were beaten and the others were threatened with physical abuse, and confessions were extracted from the arrested children.
Since the time of the arrests, four of the minors (ages between 12 and 13) have been released, two of whom were forced to pay a 2000 shekel fine (~US$ 450), and two of whom the Legal Adviser refused to accept their arrest. The remaining children were brought before the military court at Beit El, where the military judge extended the periods of detention until 22 February 2000. Given the lengthy period of the extension, DCI/PS's Attorney has filed an appeal protesting the decision. A court date has been set for 18 January to hear the appeal. In the meantime, the minors remain in Beit El Detention Center.
Actions requested
Please write to the Israeli authorities urging them to:
i. guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of all remaining detainees at all times and ensure immediate access to medical care, particularly that of those children reportedly beaten;
ii. order an immediate investigation into the circumstances of the arrest of the above-mentioned persons and all allegations of ill-treatment and threats, and bring those responsible to justice;
iii. order the immediate release of all children if they are being held in detention without any valid charges or, in the event that there is, bring them immediately before a competent and impartial tribunal and guarantee their full procedural rights as well as their right to legal counsel at all times, in conformity with the international human rights standards;
iv. guarantee all human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with international human rights standards, particularly the Convention on the Rights of the Child (Article 37), ratified by Israel.
Addresses
Ehud Barak, Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, Office of the Prime Minister, 3 Kaplan Street
Hakirya, Jerusalem 91007, Israel, Faxes: +972 2 566 4838 and +972 3 691 7915
Minister of Justice, Ministry of Justice, 29 Salah al-Din Street, Jerusalem 91029, State of Israel. Fax : + 972 2 6285 438
Minister of Defense, Ministry of Defense, 7 "A" Street, Hakirya, Tel Aviv, Israel. Fax: +972 3 697 62 18.
Minister of Police, Ministry of Police, PO Box 18182, 3 Sheikh Jarrah, Kiryat Hamemshala, Jerusalem 91181, State of Israel. Fax : + 972 2 5826 769.
The Embassy of Israel in your respective countries
Geneva, 10th January 2000
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.