Testimony - H.A.
Name: | H.A. |
Age: | 16 |
Date of incident: | 16 May 2013 |
Location: | Beit Ummar, West Bank |
Accusation: | Throwing stones/Molotov cocktails |
On 16 May 2013, a 16-year-old boy from Beit Ummar was arrested at the police station in Gush Etzion settlement after responding to a summons. He reports being denied his basic legal rights under Israeli military law. He reports spending 6 days in detention before being released without charge.
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I was taken to an interrogation room and the interrogator said he wanted to ask me questions about stone throwing. He showed me a picture that was not clear of somebody standing. He then switched on a tape recorder and accused me of throwing stones and Molotov cocktails at settlers. I denied the accusations. He then printed a document written in Hebrew and asked me to sign it. I refused. I was then handcuffed and taken for a medical check-up.
Following the check-up I was taken to a cell in the settlement. The time was around 5:00 p.m. I remained in the cell until midnight when I was transferred to Megiddo prison, inside Israel. I was transported in a military vehicle with another young man and was handcuffed and shackled.
We arrived at Megiddo prison at around 4:00 a.m. where I was searched before being taken to Section 3 for juveniles. I remained in Megiddo prison until 19 May, when I was taken to Salem military court at 7:00 a.m. I waited at court for two hours and was then taken to Ofer military court, near Jerusalem. My case came before a military judge in Ofer at around 5:00 p.m. I met my lawyer for the first time in Ofer military court.
In court I was shown the same photograph that the interrogator had shown me and I denied that it was a picture of me. After court I was transported to Ramleh prison, inside Israel, where I spent another night.
The following day, 20 May, I was taken back to Ofer military court for a second hearing. My lawyer told me I was going to be released. After court I was taken back to Ramleh prison where I waited until midnight. I was then placed in a vehicle and driven to the Beit Sira checkpoint, approximately 50 kilometres from where I live, and dumped. A Palestinian taxi driver at the checkpoint lent me his mobile phone and I called my parents. The taxi driver then drove me home to Beit Ummar. It was Tuesday, 21 May 2013.