By Polly Johnson
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

Israel – The Geneva-based, non-governmental organization, Defense for Children International (DCI), has asked the United Nations to investigate reports that Palestinian children held in Israeli prisons from January 2009 to April 2010 were subjected to sexual abuse in an effort to gain their confessions.

DCI has collected more than one hundred sworn affidavits from Palestinian children claiming mistreatment. Fourteen of the statements reveal sexual assault and abuse by the soldiers. The DCI said that such practices violate international law and children’s rights.

Nearly every minor was handcuffed for long periods of time, according to the one hundred statements taken by DCI. Many were blindfolded for extended periods of time. Boys as young as thirteen said they were threatened with rape if they did not confess.

Al Jazeera was able to interview some of the children, who confirmed the mistreatment by their captors. One child said he was bound, blindfolded, and placed on the floor of the vehicle taking him to prison. Many said that they were often held for hours without food or drink. They were also told that the soldier who beat them was the same one to whom they had to confess.

Parents do not typically want to come forward to report the abuse, distrustful of the system that is abusing their children.

Israel has rejected DCI’s claims and has said that such practices are consistent with international law, adding that any claims related to abuse or violence should be formally raised at trial or in a complaint.

Different laws apply to Palestinians in the West Bank and in Gaza. All Palestinians, including minors and adults, are tried in military courts. Further, Palestinian children are not permitted to see their lawyers until they are in court.

Each year, about seven hundred Palestinian minors aged twelve to eighteen are arrested in Israel. There are approximately 340 Palestinian children in Israeli jails. Sixty percent of them have been charged with throwing stones. There is no appeals process for decisions by Israeli military courts.

For more information, please see:

Al Jazeera – Israel faces child-abuse claims – 31 May 2010

Tehran Times – Israel faces child abuse claims – 31 May 2010

Bruneinews.net – Child sex abuse alleged in Israeli juvenile prisons – 30 May 2010

Palestine Note – Rights group: Israeli officers sexually assaulted children – 30 May 2010

Haaretz.com – Over 100 Palestinian minors reported abuse in IDF, police custody in 2009 – 28 May 2010