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IMEMC & Agencies, January 13, 2005, 11:39The Palestinian Ministry of Detainees and Ex--detainees Affairs accused the Israeli government of continuously violating the rights of the Palestinian detainees, including children, and depriving them of their fundamental rights guaranteed by international law.
A report released by the Children and Youth Department of the Ministry revealed that there are currently 312 children, including 12 females, imprisoned in extremely poor living conditions and receiving harsh treatment, and that there are more than 450 detainees who were imprisoned as children and reached the age of 18 while still in detention.
The Israeli prison authorities deprive the detainees of their fundamental rights, rights guaranteed by international law, and they are often detained without being told the reason for their arrest.
The ministry reported that Israeli actions also violate the international agreements concerning the rights of children to be protected and their right to grow up in a healthy environment.
States the report, "The Israeli occupation treats Palestinian children as criminals, exposing them to all sorts of torture and abuse, in addition to barring them from their visitation rights �.
Also, the report revealed that the Israeli government has �racist rules� which allow them to deal with Israeli imprisoned children in a different way and according to different rules than the rules used when charging and prosecuting Palestinian children.
In Israel, every person under the age of 18 is considered a minor, while Palestinian children over the age of 16 are treated like adults. Recently, the Israeli high court issued a ruling which authorizes the army to arrest any Palestinian child who has reached the age of 12, completely ignoring the Geneva accords and International Humanitarian Law.
George Abuzulif, of Defense for Children International, commented, "During the recent highly-publicized Israeli prisoner releases, they did not release a single child prisoner. And I think children should be given priority. On the contrary, in our recent study, just in the month of December, 20 children were arrested from a single village! So I believe children are being targeted by the Israeli occupation, and I don't think the Palestinian Authority can do anything in this regard -- to protect children from being abused, arrested, killed, or injured by the Israeli army."
The Palestinian Ministry report revealed that there are 20 Palestinian children who are currently being held without any charges and have been placed in administrative detention without any trial.
"In Israeli detention centers and prisons there are 30 child prisoners suffering from health problems and deprived of needed medical care and medication. Some of them need surgery�, the ministry's report revealed.
The report also noted that the Israeli prison administration repeatedly imposes high fines on the detainees and their families, which is becoming a burden on the Palestinian economy (in which there is currently 60% unemployment -- an effect of the current intifada, which began in 2000).
From the beginning of 2004 until the present, the Israeli authorities have imposed fines on over 75% of the imprisoned children, the average amount of each imposed fine being 400 US Dollars.
Statistics:
Palestinian children in Israeli prisons:
Prison
Number of children
Telmond Hasharon & Ophic
105
Ofer and Benjamin
58
Negev
36
Megiddo
47
Salem
2
Huwwara
3
Al-Jalame
6
Etzion
40
Al-Maskobiyya
10
Al-Ramleh
6
Palestinian children and type of detention:
Detention
Number
Held (interrogation, without charge
220
Sentenced
74
Administrative detention (no trial)
18
Palestinian children according to location
District
Number
Jerusalem
220
Hebron
74
Nablus
18
Ramallah
23
Tulkarem
52
Qalqilia
90
Jenin
35
Bethlehem
18
Gaza
8
Palestinian children according to year of imprisonment
Year
Number
2001
2
2002
10
2003
69
2004
231
Children according to age
Age
Number
12-14
8
15-16
92
17-18
212
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