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.
On 16 May 2013, my mother was summoned by the Shin Bet to the police station in Gush Etzion settlement. I accompanied her. When we arrived a policeman asked my mother who I was. My mother told him I was her son. The policeman then said that it was me that they were looking for and that they were going to keep me for interrogation. He told my mother to go home.
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.