“Especially in the case of juveniles, it’s threatening them before even coming to the interrogation so it will make it easier to collect their confessions. They will be really terrified. They humiliate them. They start to beat them and kick them and abuse them all the way to the detention center. It affects [the detainees’] confidence and the way they will treat the whole process of the interrogation later on,” [Addameer’s Sahar] Francis said.
Sleep deprivation, threats of sexual abuse and physical violence, prolonged periods spent in complete isolation, and the arrests of family members are some of the methods used to coerce confessions from Palestinian detainees, Francis explained. While most of the torture the Israeli authorities use is psychological in nature, she added that physical torture does take place as well.
“In some cases, they use electric shock. In some other cases, they close [their] eyes and tie [them] to the chair. They push back [their] head and then they bring a cup of water and they start to drop water on [their] face, giving a feeling like [they] can’t breathe,” she said. ”[Torture is] very common. It’s very common.” To read the entire report from Electronic Intifada click here.
For more on children being arrested by Israeli Occupation forces The Association for Civil Rights in Israel issued a report in March called Police Violations of the Rights of Minors in East Jerusalem the findings include that over 1,200 Palestinian children in Jerusalem have been detained since 2010.
Also, a list of documented occurrences of child arrests in the last month. Where is the outrage?
July 6
IOF soldiers arrest teen daughter of municipality chief
270 Palestinians kidnapped last month, including 33 children
IOF troops arrest two teenage brothers in Bethlehem
June 30
April and May Report detention report: 53 cases of arrest, and detention in addition to 33 cases of the interrogation among them for kids under 16 and scored 13 arrest of a failed attempts by the undercover unit. four young men from Silwan, ranging from five to ten years claiming the text of their illegal activities …
June 29
IOF troops storm homes of liberated prisoners, round up child among others
June 28
Israeli army detains Tawjihi students in Bethlehem
Israeli forces detain 5 Palestinians in Azzun: They identified those detained as Samir Sahir Shelo, 13, Ahmad Basim Shbeita, 17, Othman Samir Shelo, 22, Muath Bilal Sweidan, 19, and Yousif Hussein Shbeita, 49. … Israel detained around 20 Palestinians in Azzun in June, most of whom were aged 14 – 23.
June 27
IOF soldiers detain 8 Palestinians including children
June 26
3 Palestinian teens arrested by Israeli army in Hebron
June 20
3 detained by Israel overnight: among those arrested were Muhammad Raafat Khalil Hamamra, 15, and Miras Muhammad Nimir Al-Ureidi, 15, were handcuffed and taken away to an unknown location.
June 17
Overnight detentions bring town total to 10 in June: those arrested included 17-year-old Mustafa Hussein, who was taken to an unknown destination.
June 15
Two detained from Bethlehem village, families say: among those arrested were two 17-year-old Bethlehem-area residents
June 8
IOF storm villages, round up citizens including teen
June 7
Dark days for Silwan’s youth: Israel’s continuous arrest campaign of Palestinian youth and children of Silwan has intensified in recent weeks, with no place or activity seemingly safe for minors from Israeli authorities. Arrests have occurred as children return from school, drink coffee on the balcony of their family home or buy vegetables in the street. Many minor arrests in recent days have taken place during quiet periods in Silwan, entirely unprovoked.
June 6
PA: Israel detained prisoner’s 13 year old daughter during visit
June 5
Report: Israel arrests 370 Palestinians in May 2011 — including 40 minors
June 4
Palestine-Israel, youth arrest in Nabi Saleh
June 1
Group: 26 from Bethlehem arrested in May, arrested included school children
Israel detains 5 in West Bank overnight, including a young man and two minors in Qalqiliya
