Palestinian Children in the Judicial System, end-June 2003

[tinnypriv]

Palestinian Children in the Judicial System, end-June 2003
Defence for Children International/Palestine Section (DCI/PS)

Arrests of Palestinian children remained at high levels in the first half of 2003, as Israeli forces continued their repression and harsh tactics in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The announcement of the Road Map to Peace had resulted in few changes on the ground by end-June 2003, and child arrests had actually accelerated through May-June when the Road Map was being discussed in earnest.

By end-June, around 350 children had been arrested compared with 750 over the whole of 2002. Meanwhile, the number of child political prisoners held in Israeli military detention centres and prisons remained at 330-350 individuals, equivalent to the level at end-2002

...

In a survey of seven affidavits taken from juveniles who have been detained in 2003, all of them report some kind of mistreatment or torture, whether it is beating (6 out of 7 of our sample), threats to person or family (5 out of 7) or mistreatment in the form of toilet deprivation (4), denial of showers (4) or lack of food (7).

...

http://www.dci-pal.org/statistics/indstats/legaljune2003.html

...

Defence for Children International/Palestine Section (DCI/PS), established in 1992, is affiliated with the Geneva-based Defence for Children International, a non-governmental organization established in 1979, with consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council, UNICEF, UNESCO, and the Council of Europe. Though affiliated with an international network, DCI/PS is an independent, Palestinian non-governmental organization, which develops its programs and acts according to Palestinian children's needs and Palestinian priorities.