Amnesty International Accuses Israel of Brutality, Ill Treatment, Threats and Beatings of Palestinians
AI Index:
MDE 15/060/2000
Publish date: 10/11/2000
"A culture of impunity around the Israeli police is resulting in
police brutality, ill treatment, threats and beatings," according
to a new report issued today by Amnesty International.
The report titled "Mass arrests and police brutality" is based
on the findings of an Amnesty International delegation which visited
Jerusalem and northern Israel from 21-29 October. In it, the human
rights organization strongly criticizes the procedures and treatment of
those arrested over the past six weeks in Jerusalem and northern Israel.
"Palestinians, including children, were frequently arrested from
their homes in the middle of the night in a highly intimidatory
fashion," Amnesty International's researcher and member of the
delegation, Joanna Oyediran said.
Iyad Qaymeri, aged 17, and three other Palestinians were among a group
of young men and boys throwing stones in Shu'fat in East Jerusalem, when
they were arrested at 9.30pm on 1 October 2000. He was reportedly set on
by five soldiers who pushed him to the ground shouting insults, kicking
and hitting him on his body and in his face. They were taken to what
appeared to be a military camp where they were hooded and forced to lie
on the ground for about two hours; from time to time someone would come
and kick them or hit them. The four were then taken to the Moscobiyyeh
detention centre in Jerusalem. The night before Iyad Qaymeri's release
on 5 October, police officers allegedly entered the cell and randomly
beat the 30 Palestinians under 18 held there, whilst yelling insults at
them.
Yoav Bar, a computer programmer, described how immediately after his
arrest during an initially peaceful protest in Haifa on 2 October he was
dragged by the legs for more than 50 meters by two police officers with
his back sliding along the street, while other police officers beat him
with batons. He was beaten again in a police car. He told the police
that he thought his hand was broken; the police refused to give him any
medical treatment. Yoram Bar Chaim, who protested at the treatment of
Yoav Bar, was also arrested and beaten. They were both released about
midnight. Yoav Bar's left hand was broken in three places. Two of his
ribs were broken, and two of his front teeth were broken. His back was
also injured as a result of being dragged along the street.
Amnesty International's latest report strongly criticizes the breaches
in judicial procedures regarding the arrest and detention of children,
especially as regards Palestinian children.
"As a matter of routine, children were not summoned to the police
station but arrested, often during the night, in an intimidatory
fashion. During their interrogation some children were reportedly
subjected to psychological pressure by being shouted at, insulted or
threatened during interrogation. In some cases children were reportedly
beaten by the police," Amnesty International said.
In Kufar Kana, a Palestinian village in Galilee, Bakr Sa'id, aged 15,
was arrested on 24 October by a group of armed police who surrounded his
house around 2am. Four police, their machine guns ready, entered the
house, frightening the children and taking away Bakr Sa'id. He was
interrogated the same night with shouting and threats - which were also
heard by another detainee in the same station; the detainee said that
when he tried to speak later in court to Bakr Sa'id a police officer
slapped the boy in the face. Bakr Sa'id was released on 3 November.
Amnesty International welcomed the Israeli Government's announcement
yesterday that it would set up a full judicial commission of inquiry
under the 1968 Commission of Inquiry Act to investigate clashes with the
security forces in which Arab and Jewish Israeli citizens were killed
and wounded.
"However, it is essential that its investigations should be
thorough, effective and independent. It should investigate incidents of
torture or ill-treatment by security forces and any report must be made
fully public," Amnesty International said, "Those responsible
must be brought to justice."
Palestine Affairs Council