Testimony: W.A.J.
Name: | W.A.J. |
Age: | 16 |
Date of incident: | 28 January 2015 |
Location: | Zabuba, West Bank |
Accusation: | Throwing stones |
On 28 January 2015, a partially blind 16-year-old minor from Zabuba was arrested by Israeli soldiers at 2:30 p.m. He reports ill treatment and being denied his basic legal rights under Israeli military law. He reports being released without charge over 5 hours after his arrest.
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We walked a short distance when heard soldiers ordering us to stop. My friend and I stopped and the soldiers arrested us. They asked me why I was throwing stones. I told them I wasn’t throwing stones and explained that I was partially blind. A soldier held me by the hand and walked me towards the Wall. He dragged me through a hole in the Wall where there was barbed wire. I couldn’t see properly and a soldier pushed me through the hole. My trousers were torn on the barbed wire. The soldier shouted at me and told me to walk faster. I tried to walk faster but I couldn’t and I lost my shoes and nearly fell down. I walked bare foot for a short while but I couldn’t continue any longer. The soldiers shouted at me again and some of them made fun of me. They were singing and clapping and saying I was a clever boy. When I tried to speak to them they told me to shut up.
I was then put in the back of a jeep and sat on a seat. The jeep drove for about 10 minutes before stopping. I was taken to a room. One soldier, who already knew I was partially blind, asked me to open the door. When I told him I couldn’t see properly he shouted at me and opened the door himself. I was taken inside and asked to sit on the floor.
A short time later a soldier came by and asked me whether I wanted to drink some beer. He then asked me to cross my legs as if I were praying. I was in pain sitting cross legged and when I adjusted my position the soldiers yelled at me and ordered me to sit like before. I remained in this position for about an hour. A soldier then asked me to turn my face to the wall and held me violently and tore my jacket. A soldier cocked his gun as if he was going to shoot me. He pressed his gun against my back and I was very scared.
At one point soldier asked me why I was throwing stones. I told him I didn’t throw stones and showed him my clean hands. No one informed me of any rights.
I remained in the room until around 7.00 p.m. when a soldier searched me and took my mobile phone out of my pocket and started to play with it. I remained in the room until around 8.00 p.m. when I was handed over to the Palestinian police. I was taken to Jenin police station where I gave a statement and then I went home. I arrived home at around 10.00 p.m.