Israel/OPT
22.11.01
Urgent Interventions

'Israel: release of 15 year old Sanaa’ Amer

Case ISR 230701.1.CC
Follow up of the case ISR 230701.CC
CHILD CONCERN
Release

The International Secretariat of OMCT has received new information regarding the following situation in Israel.

New information

The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by a reliable source that 15 year old Sanaa’ Amer was released from Ramle Prison on 5 November 2001. Since towards her sentence was counted the period from the moment of her arrest until her sentencing in July, she was eligible for release on parole on 29 September. Sanaa’ was detained an additional one month and one week because she was apparently supposed to act as a witness at the trial of her sister Abeer. In the end, she didn’t act as a witness.

Brief reminder of the situation

The International Secretariat of OMCT had been informed by a reliable source that Sanaa’Amer, a Palestinian girl, had been subjected to torture and other forms of ill-treatment during detention and had been excessively sentenced by a military court. OMCT believes she was 14 years old at the time of these events.

She was brutally arrested on 20 February 2001 in Hebron at the same time as her sister Abeer. Saana’ was taken afterwards to an interrogation room where two men dressed in civilian clothes accused her of planning with her sister to stab a settler. One of the men hit her hard enough to cause a bruise on her arm. Since 11 March 2001, Sanaa’ had been detained in Ramle Prison together with seven adults. In early May, Sanaa’ was placed in a room by herself where her arms and legs were tied to her bed from 10 pm until 6 am for two days. At the end of June, Sanaa’ was allegedly beaten with sticks on her arms and legs. Her arms were tied behind her back and she was kicked by the police in the stomach, inducing her to cough up blood. As of 12 July 2001 Sanaa’ had received no medical treatment and felt pain whenever she ate or drank.

Sanaa was tried on 12 July 2001 and sentenced to 1 year in prison with an additional 4 years suspended sentence, if she should commit any offence during the next 5 years.

Remarks

OMCT welcomes the release of Sanaa’ Amer, and wishes to thank all those institutions, organisations and individuals who intervened on her behalf.

Actions requested

Please write to the authorities in Israel urging them to:

i. Take all appropriate measures to promote physical and psychological recovery and social reintegration of Sanaa’Amer, victim of torture and other forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
ii. Ensure such recovery and reintegration in an environment which fosters the health, self-respect and dignity of the child.
iii. Guarantee all human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with international human rights standards, particularly the Convention on the Rights of the Child, ratified by Israel.



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


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

Geneva, November 21, 2001

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