Image
© DCI
Today DCI-Palestine submitted a report to the UN - In their own Words: A report on the situation facing Palestinian children detained in occupied East Jerusalem.The Report finds an increase in reports of physical violence and threats.

The report is the third six-monthly submission lodged by DCI-Palestine with the UN in which the situation facing Palestinian children from occupied East Jerusalem detained by Israeli authorities is considered. The report covers a six month period between 1 July and 31 December 2011 and is based on data collected from 68 cases in which DCI-Palestine provided legal assistance to Palestinian children. The Report also relies on 23 testimonies collected from children who were detained during the same period.

The common complaints and areas of concern raised by the children in their testimonies are presented below:



# Common complaints and areas of concern Number of cases Percentage of children
1 Hand ties 22 96%
2 Physical violence 21 91%
3 Interrogated in the absence of a parent 21 91%
4 Threats 20 87%
5 Not informed of the the right to silence. 17 74%
6 Signed/shown documents written in Hebrew 17 74%
7 Arrested between midnight and 5:00 am 14 61%
8 Blindfolds 14 61%
9 Verbal abuse 13 57%
10 Confession during interrogation 13 57%
11 Detained with adults 0 0%
12 Interrogation of children under 12 years 0 0%

During the reporting period, DCI has observed a spike in the number of cases in which children report being subjected to physical violence and threats during arrest and interrogation, as well as an alarming increase in the number of cases in which children were questioned in the absence of their parents.