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Home » Children »

Testimony: A.M.F.H.

 

Name: A.M.F.H.
Age: 17
Date: 23 July 2020
Location: Balata camp, West Bank
Accusation: Weapon possession

On 23 July 2020, a 17-year-old from Balata camp was arrested at 9:30 p.m. at a checkpoint and accused of weapon possssion. He reports ill treatment. He reports consulting with a lawyer prior to interrogtion but not being informed of his right to silence by the interrogator. He reports being held in solitary confinement for 4 days. He was sentenced to 3 months in prison and fined NIS 1,000.

I was near an Israeli military checkpoint when I was approached by a group of about 20 soldiers. It was around 9:30 p.m. They aimed their guns at me and told me to stop and to sit on the ground. I obeyed their orders and a soldier tied my hands behind my back with three plastic ties: one on each wrist and another connecting the two. The ties were very tight and my wrists swelled and caused me a lot of pain. I soldier also swore at me as I was blindfolded. The same soldier also slapped me hard on my ear and caused me a lot of pain. 
 
I was left on the ground for about four hours before being taken to the back of a jeep where I sat on a seat. The jeep took me to Huwwara military base. At Huwwara I was left in an outdoor area near two trees and then I was taken to a tent where a doctor examined me. I was left in the tent from around 2:00 a.m. until around 11:00 a.m. I was allowed to use the toilet but I was not given any food. At around 11:00 a.m. I was taken to Salem for interrogation.
 
The interrogator removed the blindfold but started to interrogate me while I was tied. At the beginning he asked me if I wanted a lawyer. Then he gave me some options and I picked one randomly and he phoned him for me. The lawyer told me he was my lawyer and that I should only tell the interrogator about things I had done. The conversation lasted for about two minutes and the interrogator was listening.
 
Then, without informing me of my right to silence, the interrogator accused me of possessing pipe bombs. I denied the accusation. The interrogator repeated the same accusation many times and wanted me to confess. He was calm and did not raise his voice at me. He also showed me video footage. He questioned me on and off for about two hours. In the end I confessed and he showed me a document in Hebrew and asked me to sign. I signed without understanding anything. I felt I was in deep trouble and signing was not going to make much difference.
 
Then they took my fingerprints and a DNA sample from my mouth after which I was strip searched. Then I was taken to a cell where they removed the ties. The following day I had a military court hearing via video link and my father was there. My detention was extended and the hearing was adjourned. 
 
I was left in the cell by myself for four days. The food was not enough and not appetizing. Once I found a dead lizard in my food.  I did not speak to anyone or see anyone and I went crazy because I smoked and they did not give me any cigarettes. I banged my head against the wall and threatened to commit suicide. I was taken to a hospital and I told the doctor I banged my head because I wanted cigarettes. 
 
After four days I was taken to Megiddo prison, inside Israel, where I was searched in my underwear before being taken to the quarantine area. Two days later I had another military court hearing. I had a third hearing about two months before I was released. At the last hearing I was sentenced in a plea bargain to three months in prison and fined NIS 1,000. I was also given a six month suspended sentence. I accepted the bargain because my lawyer told me it was a good deal and that it was better than one year in prison.
 
I spent my entire sentence at Megiddo prison where I exercised and I was in charge of my section. I also was in charge of cleaning. I did not have any family visits because of the Corona Virus. I made phone calls to my family once every two weeks for about 10 minutes. 
 
I was released at Al Jalama checkpoint on 14 October 2020, but my parents were not informed of my release and they were not waiting for me. I called my mother and she sent someone to pick me up. I arrived home at around 9:00 p.m.