Military Court Watch

Physical abuse

The majority of minors continue to report being subjected to some form of physical violence during arrest, transfer, interrogation and/or detention. The types of reported violence include: punching, slapping, kicking, beaten with objects, position abuse, electric shocks and deliberately attacked with service dogs. A significant proportion of the violence occurs whilst the child is restrained.

International juvenile justice standards unequivocally state that torture and other forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment are absolutely prohibited without exception. In February 2013, following a review of over 400 affidavits, UNICEF concluded that: “the ill-treatment of children who come in contact with the military detention system appears to be widespread, systematic and institutionalized throughout the process”. In February 2015, UNICEF noted that: “reports of alleged ill-treatment of children during arrest, transfer, interrogation and detention have not significantly decreased in 2013 and 2014”.

Israeli military standard operating procedures and policies relating to the arrest of minors stipulate that: “at all stages of the arrest and transfer process to an interrogation centre, the commander of the force must ensure that the detainee’s dignity is upheld, including: the detainee must be held in reasonable conditions and sheltered from the elements; the detainee must be provided with food, water, adequate clothing and access to toilets; and the detainee must not be subjected to physical or verbal violence, or any other inappropriate behavior”.

The evidence indicates that the international juvenile justice standards and Israeli military regulations prohibiting the use of violence are routinely ignored and that ill-treatment still appears to be widespread, systematic and institutionalised throughout the system.

UNICEF has also recommended that the Israeli authorities should give immediate consideration to establishing an independent investigation into the reports of ill-treatment of minors in the military detention system in accordance with a recommendation made by the UN in 2002.

Additional cases