Newsletter - January 2019

Detention figures

According to the Israeli Prison Service (IPS), as of 31 December 2018 there were 5,370 Palestinians (West Bank, East Jerusalem, Gaza) held as “security prisoners” in detention facilities including 203 children (12-17 years). In the case of children there was a 6% decrease in the number compared with the previous month and an annual decrease of 13% compared with 2017. These figures include 2 children held in administrative detention. According to the IPS, 49% of child detainees were unlawfully transferred and/or detained in Israel in violation of Article 76 of the Fourth Geneva Convention in December.
More statistics >> 

Notification on arrest

Following concerns that parents were not given information about their child’s arrest, the military authorities informed UNICEF in 2013 that soldiers must provide parents with forms in Arabic and Hebrew when a child is arrested from home with information on the reasons for arrest and place of detention. In cases documented by MCW in 2018, parents were given this document in 38% of cases, however in 55% of these cases the document was written in Hebrew. In a further 10% of cases documents were shown, but not provided and in 17% of cases, parents were asked to sign documents stating only that no damage or injury was sustained.

Revenue raising under occupation

Israeli military courts are fining Palestinians in the West Bank nearly USD $6 million each year, according to information provided under a Freedom of Information (FOI) application (2015-2017). This represents an increase in fines of nearly 42% compared with 2011. According to the FOI application in 2017 there were 10,454 indictments in the military courts with fines totaling USD $5.6 million, or an average fine of USD $535 per case (NIS 2,000). The Palestinian Authority’s monthly minimum wage is USD $396 (NIS 1,450), although many earn less. 56% of indictments involved traffic offences. 
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Evidence update

Based on 60 testimonies collected from children detained by the Israeli military in the West Bank in 2018, there have been some positive and negative developments, although the overall picture remains largely static. On the positive side, summonses were used in 12% of cases compared with 7% in 2017 and night arrests decreased from 62% to 48%. Also, the percentage of children who reported consulting with a lawyer prior to interrogation increased to 25% compared with 16% during the previous year. On the negative side, more children reported being blindfolded (87%), threatened (70%) and/or verbally abused (57%).  Comparative Graph

A child’s testimony

On 10 January 2019, a 17-year-old youth was stopped at a flying checkpoint by Israeli soldiers at 10:00 p.m. He was searched and found in possession of a Swiss Army knife he reports using at work. He reports not being informed of his legal rights.

“I was going home after work when the car I was in was stopped at a temporary Israeli military checkpoint. It was around 10:00 p.m. The soldiers searched me and found a Swiss Army knife in my pocket which I use at the car wash where I work.” 
Read more >>

Source: Military Court Watch, Newsletter, January 2019 >>

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