Detention figures
End of December 2023:

Security Prisoners

Adults: 8,171
Children: 137
Total: 8,308

Percentage held in Israel:

Adults: 74%
Children: 49%

Administrative Detention

Adults: 3,239
Children: 49
Total: 3,288

 
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Newsletter - May/June 2016

Detention figures – According to the Israeli Prison Service (IPS), as of 30 April 2016, there were 6,295 Palestinians (West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza) held as "security prisoners" in Israeli detention facilities including 414 children. In the case of children there was a 5 per cent decrease in the numbercompared with the previous month but an annual increase of 93 per cent compared with 2015. These figures include 13 children held in administrative detention. According to the IPS, 48 per cent of child detainees and 86 per cent of adults were transferred and detained inside Israel in violation of Article 76 of the Fourth Geneva Convention. A further 1,586 Palestinians were held as "criminal prisoners" including 14 children. (Note: These remain the most recent statistics provided by the IPS). More statistics

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UK lawyers' report - 4 years on - June 2016marked four years since a delegation of British lawyers published a report on the treatment of Palestinian children under Israeli military law. The Foreign Office funded report – Children in Military Custody – found undisputed evidence that the military detention system violated at least six articles under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and two articles under the Fourth Geneva Convention. Following a review of developments in the system the evidence indicates that just one of the UK report's 40 recommendations has been substantially implemented. This represents an implementation rate of 2.5 per cent. Read more
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UK Government confirms application of Fourth Geneva Convention - On 27 June 2016, the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) again confirmed the application of the Fourth Geneva Convention to the Occupied Palestinian Territories and the longstanding position that Israel has legal obligations as the Occupying Power. The FCO also confirmed that the UK considers Israel's detention of Palestinian prisoners within Israel to be contrary to Article 76 of the Fourth Geneva Convention. The FCO's advice was in response to a letter written by members of the UK parliament dated 6 June 2016. FCO letter
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Pilot scheme to issue summonses in lieu of night arrests - Due to widespread concern about the number of children arrested in the West Bank at night, the Israeli military authorities announced the trial of a pilot scheme to issue summonses in lieu of night arrests in 2014. In 2015, MCW observed that summonses were used in approximately 10 per cent of cases. In 2016, MCW has so far documented just one case where a summons was issued on 18 May. In that case the summons was delivered by the military at 2:00 a.m. and was written in Hebrew. Although the family complied with the summons the 14-year-old child was not questioned. Seven days later the military arrested the child at 3:15 a.m. apparently based on the same allegations. Read more
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OpenDemocracy: Palestine's forgotten children (Lord Norman Warner) - "Next year will mark the centenary of the Balfour Declaration as well as the 50th anniversary of Israel’s occupation of the West Bank. With no sign of an active peace process between the parties, here in Britain we have a historic responsibility to seriously challenge the Israeli government’s conduct in the West Bank and Gaza. On a recent visit to the West Bank, I saw powerfully for myself the need for better legal protection for young Palestinians. Without this I fear that we will engender an entire lost generation of forgotten Palestinian children." Lord Warner has secured a debate on the issue in the House of Lords on 21 July 2016. Read more
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Testimony (U.M.H.N.) - On 23 May 2016, a 16-year-old youth from the Al Jalazun refugee camp is arrested by Israeli soldiers at 4:00 a.m. and accused of throwing stones. " I was arrested from home at around 4:00 a.m. I woke up to the sound of aggressive banging at the front door. My father opened the door and found a group of Israeli soldiers outside. They immediately asked for me. The commander asked to see my identity card and then told me to change because they were going to take me away. They did not give us any documents. Once outside the house they tied my hands to the back with three plastic ties." Read more
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