Alternative report to the 5th PeriodicReportofIsraelFortheConsiderationoftheUnitedNationsCommitteeagainstTorture57thSessionThisalternativereportisauthoredbytheTreatmentandRehabilitationCenterforVictimsofTorture(TRC),basedinRamallah,OccupiedPalestinianTerritories.Thereportprovidesgeneraldataontheexperiencesoftorture and ill-treatment by TRC clients drawn fromTRC’s clinical record database. It further focuses ontortureandill-treatmentofchildrenintheOccupiedPalestinianTerritoriesbydetailingtheexperienceof7childrenwhowerearrestedandtorturedbyIsraeliOccupationForces.The Treatment and Rehabilitation Center for Victims of Torture (TRC) was founded in 1997 and is anindependent Palestinian non-governmental, non-partisan and non-profit human rights organization. TRCseeks to prevent torture and to reduce the devastating psychological consequences of human rightsabuses,includingtorture,violenceandotherill-treatmentaspartofthevictims’righttorehabilitation.TableofContents
Introduction................................................................................................................................2
DataonTortureandIll-Treatment...............................................................................................3
Methods................................................................................................................................................3
Perpetratorsandlocationofincidents...................................................................................................5
Figure8abovedemonstratestheemploymentstatusofthe73TRCclients...........................................6
PhysicalSequelaeofTorture.................................................................................................................7
PsychologicalSequelaeofTorture.........................................................................................................7
Theexperiencesofsevenchildvictimsoftortureandill-treatment.............................................8
Arrestanddetention.............................................................................................................................8
Allegationoftortureandill-treatment................................................................................................10
Recommendations....................................................................................................................12
Thisproductionofthisreportismadepossiblethroughthegenerousfinancialsupportof:
- TheEuropeanUnion’sEuropeanInstrumentforDemocracyandHumanRights(EIDHR),- UNWomen- TheInternationalRehabilitationCouncilforTortureVictims(IRCT),- TheUnitedNationsVoluntaryFundforVictimsofTorture(UNVFVT)- TheHumanRightsandInternationalHumanitarianLawSecretariat(HR/IHLSecretariat)
IntroductionDespite decades of criticism and domestic legal action, torture and ill-treatment of Palestinians by theIsraeliGovernment continueswith impunity.Women,menand children are subjected to torture and ill-treatmentandthephysicalandpsychologicaltraumatisationtheyexperiencehasaseverenegativeimpactontheindividuals,theirfamiliesandthebroaderPalestiniansociety.Throughdatacollectedfrom73victimsreceivingrehabilitationservicesfromTRC,thisreporthighlightskeycharacteristicsoftortureandill-treatmentbytheGovernmentofIsrael includingperpetratorprofiles,themethodologiesusedandtheireffectonthevictims. It further illustratesthespecificproblemsrelatingtotortureandill-treatmentofchildrenbytheIsraeliGovernment.Thenumbers indicatethattortureand ill-treatmentfrequentlyhappens inmultipleeventsandthroughacombination of different physical and psychological methods. People are detained in substandardconditionsandsubjectedtopracticessuchasbeatings,hoodingandothersensorymanipulation,positionaltortureandthreatstothemselvesandfamilymembers.Behindtheseheadingsliepracticessuchasfalanga,servingcontaminatedfoodandwater,exposuretoextremetemperaturesandlight,deprivationofmedicalcare,threatsofdeathandmockexecutions.Mostviolations takeplace inprisonsandatmilitary campsand theperpetratorsareprimarilyoccupyingforces, intelligence services and thepolice. It is notable that a very highnumber of incidents takeplaceoutsideofofficialplacesofdetention,whichrendersexistingsafeguardsineffective.The impact to the individual, their familiesand thebroadercommunity isdevastating. Inaddition to thephysical injuries,manyofthevictimssufferfromseverepsychologicaltraumatisationmanifestingitselfasPTSD, depression, anxiety, acute stress and psychotic disorders. This in turn appear to negatively affecttheirsocio-economicsituationduetoinabilitytofindgainfulemploymentandotherrelatedproblem.AmongtheindividualssupportedbyTRCareasignificantnumberofchildrenwhohavebeentorturedorill-treated. Their experiences of torture and ill-treatment are very similar to those of adult victims but theimpactontheirlivesissignificantlyworse.Children in detention are repeatedly verbally abused, threatened with rape and torture, forced to signconfessionsinHebrew,incriminatefriendsandfamilymembersandhumiliatedbyinterrogators1.Theyarealso threatenedwithmore torture and pain if they decide to pursue complaints against theOccupationForces.DetentionperiodsarealsohabituallyextendedduetothelackofevidenceagainstthembymilitaryprosecutorsortheIsraeliSecurityAgency(theShabak).Theagesbetween14and18isacrucialdevelopmentalperiodinthelifeofthechild,helpingthemshapetheirpersonalities.Arresting,detaining,torturingandill-treatingchildreninthisagegroupisdetrimentaltotheirfutureasitcanhavelong-lastingconsequencesonthedevelopmentofthechild.Torturerupturestheprocess of psychosocial maturing and integration into society2 and can lead to, among other sequelae,profoundpersonalitychanges, includingpost-traumaticstresssyndrome(PTSD), suicidal ideation,anxiety
1SeealsoAddameer,ImprisonmentofChildren.February2016.Availableat:http://www.addameer.org/the_prisoners/children2DanO’DonnellandNorbertoLiwski,InnocentiWorkingPapers–UNICEF,ChildVictimsofTortureandCruel,InhumanorDegradingTreatment.June2010.Availableat:http://www.unicef-irc.org/publications/pdf/iwp_2010_11.pdf
disordersandanti-socialbehaviour3.Torturecan thereforehavea fargreaternegative impactona childduetothefactthattheyareinaperiodofactivedevelopment4.Furthermore,adolescenceisalsoacriticalstageintheeducationofthechild.Arrestingandtorturingthemthwartstheiracademicprospectsandhamperstheirpsychosocialwell-beingandtheiractiveparticipationin society. Indeed, 77% of detained children show a decline in their academic achievements due topsychologicaltraumaandsufferingfromlearningandconcentrationdifficulties.The individuals supported by TRC receive specialised rehabilitation care to help them build a life aftertorture. It isnecessarytoensurethattheavailabilityandaccessibilityofsuchspecialisedservicesreachascale where all victims can get support to rebuild their lives. For many victims, this process cannot becompletedaslongasimpunityprevailsandnothingisdonetoavoidreoccurrence.DataonTortureandIll-TreatmentThetablespresentedbelowwereextractedfromtheexperiencesof73clientsintheTRC’sclinicaldatabase.Thedataiscapturedbysecurelyenteringclinicaldataintothedatabase.TRCisthenabletoproduceanonymisedandaggregatedstatisticsbasedonthecollectiveexperiencesofthe73clients.Thelistsarenon-exhaustiveandareintendedtoshowthemostprevalentexperiencesoftortureandill-treatmentasdetailedbytheTRCclients.Methods
3V.Grappe,Laguerreenex-Yougoslavie:unregardsurlesenfantsréfugiés,Psychiatriehumanitaireenex-YougoslavieetenArménie.Faceautraumatisme,M.R.MoroandS.Lebovici,eds.(Paris,PressesuniversitairesdeFrance,1995).4CenterfortheStudyofTraumaticStress.TheImpactofKidnapping,ShootingandTortureonChildren.
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0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200 220
Witnessingtortureofothers
Threats
Sexualtorture
Psychologicaltechniques
Posihonaltorture
Pharmacologicaltorture
Penetrahnginjuries
Other
Medicalamputahon
Humiliahon
Electricshocks
Deprivahonofnormalsensoryshmulahon
Crushinjuries
Condihonsofdetenhon
Chemicalexposure
Burns
Blunttrauma
Behavioralcoercion
AsphyxiahonFigure 1: Methods of Torture
Figure 1 above highlights the most prevalent forms of torture and ill-treatment experienced by TRC’sclients.Conditionsofdetention,deprivationofnormalsensorystimulationandblunttraumaarethemostcommonformsoftortureandill-treatmentemployedonTRCclients.Threats,positionaltorture(includingprolongedconstraint)andhumiliationarealsofrequentlyreportedbyTRCclients.
Figure2showsthemost frequentlyusedtypesofblunttraumafacedbyTRCclients intheDFIdatabase.Punching,kicking,slappingandblowstotheheadarethemostwidelyusedformsofblunttrauma.
Figure3demonstratesthedistributionofinadequatedetentionconditions.
Punching,kicking,slapping,43
Whipping,7
Falaka,7BeaQngthehead,26
Strikingofbothears,10
BeaQngwithtruncheonsorwires,
14
Unspecified,11Figure2:BluntTrauma
Smallorovercrowdedcell,41
UnhygieniccondiQons,45
NoaccesstotoiletfaciliQes,23
Irregularorcontaminatedfood
orwater,33
Exposuretoextremetemperatures,25
Denialofprivacy,25
Solitaryconfinement,19Figure3:CondiTonsOfDetenTon
Figure4highlightsthedifferentmethodsofdeprivationofnormalsensorystimulation.
Figure5highlightsthemostfrequenttypesofthreatsexperiencedbyallTRCclientsrecordedintheDFIDatabase.Perpetratorsandlocationofincidents
Hooding,22
Sound,lightandsenseofQme,26
Physiologicalneeds,27Medicalcare,27
Socialcontacts,28
Exposuretoconstantlightor
sounds,25
Other,7Figure4:DeprivaTonofNormalSensorySTmulaTon
Death,17
Furthertorture,15
Rape,2
Imprisonment,20
MockexecuQon,5
ThreatsofaZackbyanimals,11
Harmingfamilymembers,9
Unspecified,13Figure5:Threats
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Police Prisonofficials Intelligenceagency
Legislators Membersofjudiciary
Otherunspecified
Occupyingforces
Figure6:Perpetrators
Figure 6 illustrates the affiliation of the perpetrators from the experience of the clinical data of the 73clients.TRC’s data shows that multiple perpetrators are involved in torture and ill-treatment. It begins at themomentof arrest,when largenumbersof soldierswill burst intoahouseduringa late-night raid. TRC’sclients report that soldierswillbreakdownthedoors tohomes,destroyproperty,beat familymembers,andthreatenedothers.
Figure7abovedemonstratesthedistributionoflocationsforincidentsoftorture.Asisshown,prisonsandmilitaryfacilitiesarethemostcommonplacesreportedfortortureandill-treatment.EmploymentsituationofTRCclientsTRCTisveryconcernedaboutthelongtermimpactoftortureandill-treatmentontheindividualvictims,theirfamiliesandPalestiniansocietyasitleaveslargepartsofthepopulationwithuntreatedphysicalandpsychologicaltrauma.Thisisturncanhaveaseverenegativeeffectonthesocio-economicsituationofthevictimandtheirfamilies.Oneindicatorofthisistheemploymentsituationofthevictims.HerewecanseethattheunemploymentamongTRCclientsis47%,whichissignificantlyhigherthantheWestBankaverageof22,5%.
Figure8abovedemonstratestheemploymentstatusofthe73TRCclients.
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Figure7:LocaTonofTortureIncident
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Full-hme
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Informal/casual
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Figure8:EmploymentStatus
PhysicalSequelaeofTortureBelow isa listofphysicalproblemsdiagnosed for the73TRCclientsasaconsequenceof tortureand ill-treatment.
- Respiratoryproblems- Pneumonia.- Digestiveproblemswithmanysufferingfromulcers.
- Dermatologicalproblemsasaresultofextremelyunhygienicdetentionconditions.
- Womensufferingirregularityoftheirperiod.
- Extremepaininthetesticlesforthemales.
- Eatingdisordersafterbeingreleased.
- Headachesandmigraines.
PsychologicalSequelaeofTortureBelowisalistofpsychologicalproblemsdiagnosedforthe73TRCclientsasaconsequenceoftortureandill-treatment.
- Interpersonal difficulties such aswithdrawal and isolation fromothers or emotional indifferencetowardspeers.
- Behaviouraldifficultiessuchasattacksofunjustifiedviolenceoranger,destroyingthecontentsof
thehouse,undesiredandannoyingthoughtsandescapingtosmokinganddrinkingalcohol.
- Knowledge related difficulties with the permanent difficult memories of torture in the form ofthoughts, pictures, feelings, low concentration, academic deterioration of the children, learningdifficulties,forgettingandmemoryproblems.
- Sleepingdifficultiesincludinginsomnia,nightmaresandinsufficientamountofsleep.
- Emotionaldifficultiessuchasanger,constantworryandalertandfeelingsofdepression,fearand
loneliness.
- Lowself-esteemandfeelingofshame,especiallyifheconfessedagainstothersandfeelingofguiltandinferiorityforthesufferinghecausetheothersfamilies.
- Socialproblemsandwithdrawalfromsociety,familyandfriends.
- Sexualproblemssuchaserectiledysfunctionamongmalesandinabilitytoorgasmamongfemales.
- Thelevelofpsychologicalimpactonchildvictimsisoftenmuchhigherthanontheadults.
- Around35%ofthefreedprisonersare inneedofpsychotherapyservicesprovidedbyspecializedcentresandthisnumberincreasesto60%forchildrenand50%forwomen.5
- 70%needamaximumone-yearperiodofpsychosocialtherapyandrehabilitation,20%needmore
thanayearand10%needpsychiatricdrugsandpsychotherapy.Theexperiencesofsevenchildvictimsoftortureandill-treatmentInthe5thPeriodicReportoftheStateParty,IsraelStatesthatsincetheentryintoforceoftheYouthLaw(Trial, Punishment and Modes of Treatment) 5731-1971 in July 2009, Israel has “greatly improved thetreatmentofminorsindetentionandsubsequentcriminalproceedings6.”However, thechildrensupportedbyTRCtelladifferentstory.BetweenMarchandDecember2015,,TRCproducedmedico-legal examinations, following the standardsof the Istanbul Protocol7, on allegationsoftortureandill-treatmentbysevenPalestinianchildren.Theexaminationsconcludedthattheyhadallbeensubjected tovarious formsofphysicalandpsychological tortureand ill-treatmentduring theirarrestanddetention. Their testimony provides a concrete example of the experiences behind the statistics in theprecedingsectionandillustratesaneedtoensurethatmoreisdonetoprotectchildrenagainsttortureandill-treatmentandtoensurethosewhoarevictimisedcanaccessredressandrehabilitation.
Arrestanddetention• All of the children were arrested and tortured by Israeli Occupation Forces and are now receiving
treatmentbyTRC, includingpsychosocial supportandrehabilitationtherapy.Sixaremaleandone isfemale.
5AccordingtoaTRCStudyproducedin2011–“TheStateofTortureinIsraeliDetentions&ItsEffects(PsychosocialImpact)onthePalestinianEx-Detainees”.65thPeriodicReportofIsraeltotheUnitedNationsCommitteeagainstTorture.Paragraph2847ForthehighevidentiaryvalueoftheIstanbulProtocol,seeHugoJuarezCruzattandOthersv.PeruintheInter-AmericanCourtforHumanRights;BatiandOthersv.TurkeyintheEuropeanCourtofHumanRights;andGabrielShumbav.RepublicofZimbabweintheAfricanCommissiononHumanandPeople’sRights.
TheIstanbulProtocolThe children all received expert forensicmedico-legal examinations conducted in accordancewith thestandardsandprinciplesoftheManualontheEffectiveInvestigationandDocumentationofTortureandOtherCruel, InhumanorDegradingTreatmentorPunishment(hereinafter, ‘theIstanbulProtocol’).TheIstanbul Protocol provides a set of guidelines for the assessment and documentation of personswhoallegetortureandilltreatmentbyestablishingadegreeofconsistencybetweentheallegationsoftortureandtheexaminedphysicalandpsychologicallesionsandsequelae.Medico-legal examinations conducted in compliancewith the standards and principles of the IstanbulProtocolconsequentlypresentreliablefindingsonthequestionofwhetherornottorturehasoccurred.Indeed,regionalandinternationalcourtshavetakenmedico-legalexaminationsconductedfollowingtheIstanbulProtocoltobeofhighevidentiaryvalue.
• Thechildrenwereallarrestedoutsidetheirhomes.Fiveofthechildrenreportedinjuriesduringtheirarrest.Twoofthoseinjuredsustainedinjuriesthroughgunshotsatclose-range. Intwoinstances,thechildren reported to have been attacked by police dogs. Two of them reported being beaten andthreatenedastheyweredraggedtothedetentionfacilities.
“MYCOUSINAND IWEREATTACKEDBYAGREYDOG. ITBITME INTHEARM, LEAVINGTEETHMARKS.THESOLDIERSSTILLSHOTME.MYCOUSINWASALSOHURT.ASIFELLTOTHEGROUND,ASOLDIERHELDMEWHILEANOTHERONEAGGRESSIVELYGRABBEDMYLEG.IHEARDTHESOUNDOFBONEBREAKING”~Omar“IWASNEARMYHOMEWHENIFIRSTSAWTHESOLDIERS.THEYWEREHOLDINGTWODOGS,ANDWHENTHEYSAWME, THEY UNLEASHED THE DOGS ONME. ONE OF THE DOGS BIT ME IN MY LEFT ARM. I WAS VERYAFRAID.WHENILOOKEDUP,ISAWTHESOLDIERSLAUGHINGATME.THEYWERERECORDINGMEWITHTHEIRPHONES.”~Ali,16yearsold
• All of the children reported being transported to several locations before arriving at detention
facilities, including military barracks. During their arrests, they were temporarily interrogated andmovedonacontinualbasisthroughvariousinvestigationcentresincludingBinyamin,AlJalameh,Ofra,andMa’aleAdumim.Thisisnotanuncommonoccurrence.Accordingtoa2011TRCstudy,outof600detainees,37%declaredthattheyweretakentounknown locations,andthat theyspentbetweenafewhourstoafullday.Duringthistime,theywerethreatenedwithdeathandbeatenregularly8.
• Fiveof the children received fourmonthmaximumsentences in IsraeliAdult Prisons, includingOferandweresubsequentlytransferredtoAlHasharonPrison.Oneofthechildrenspentayearandahalfin prison. He was detained in the Russian Compound in Jerusalem and spent 3 months in solitaryconfinement.
• Five of the childrenwere taken formedical treatment or checks at either the Hadassah Ein KeremMedicalCentreinJerusalemortheTchaar-SadekHospital.Thehospitalsdidnotnotifythefamiliesthattheirchildrenwerekeptattheirfacilities.Furthermore,familymemberswerenotallowedtovisitthechildrenattheHadassahEinKeremMedicalCentreinJerusalem,where4ofthechildrenwent.Allofthe childrenwhowent tohospitals reportedhavinghad their legs andarms chained to thehospitalbeds.
• FourchildrenallegebeingtakentoaCourtHouseinawheelchairagainsttherecommendationsofthe
doctors.Theyweresubsequentlynot returnedto thehospitalafter theCourthearings,despite theirobviousmedicalneeds.Theywereimmediatelytransportedtoprisonswherethreeofthemdevelopedinfectionsintheirwounds.
• Onechildallegesspendingafulldayinhandcuffs,withabrokenarmwithoutreceivinganyfood.
• All seven children reported seeing their families in Court.Others allege that their familieswere not
permittedtovisitthemthroughouttheirarrestanddetention.
8TRC–“TheStateofTortureinIsraeliDetentions&ItsEffects(PsychosocialImpact)onthePalestinianEx-Detainees”.2011
• Inallofthecases,thefamiliesandlawyerswerenotallowedtoattendtheinterrogationsessionswiththeir children. The children report being frightened and forced to sign confessions and testimonieswritteninHebrew.
• Noneof the seven childrenwerekept in separatedetention facilities,but are rather kept inprisons
withconvictedcriminals.Allegationoftortureandill-treatment• Allof thechildrenreportedbeingbeatenbysometimesasmanyas threesoldiersat thesametime.
Blunt trauma is normally at itsworst during themoment of the initial arrest,when the childmightresistbeing takenaway.Beatingsalso frequentlyoccurduringdemonstrations,protestsor failure tocooperatewithauthoritiesindetention.Beatingchildrenhasamoredetrimentalimpactthanbeatingadults.Theyareoftennotable toofferasmuchresistanceandthephysical impactof thebeating isoftenexacerbatedduetotheunderdevelopedphysique.
“A TALL SOLDIER BEATME ONMY HEAD AND AS I FELL TO THE GROUND, TWOOTHER SOLDIERS STARTEDKICKINGMYLEGSANDSTOMACHUNTILILOSTCONSCIOUSNESS”~Ahmed9,14yearsold“WHENTHESOLDIERSARRESTEDME,THEYSTRUCKMEWITHTHEBACKOFTHEIRWEAPONS.IBROKESEVERALBONESINMYHAND.”~Waleed
• The children reported that death threats often occurred at times when they were particularly
vulnerablesuchasimmediatelyafterhavingbeenbeaten.Thisfeelingofextremefearandvulnerabilityhasadetrimentalimpactonthepsychologyofthechild.Furthermore,allthechildrensaidtheyweretransportedtoseveral locations, includingsettlementsandbarracks,beforearrivingat thedetentionfacilityandthat throughoutthisperiodtheyweresubjectedtocontinuousthreats fromthesoldiers.Fourchildrenalsoreportedthreatstotheirfamilymembers,includingrapeoffemalefamilymembersandphysicalharm.
• Thechildrenreportedbeingprevented fromsleeping inadditiontobeingexposedtoextremelycold
andhottemperaturesbybeingforcedoutsideduringthewintercoldandsummerheat.Thechildrenalsoreportedirregularaccesstofood.
• Blindfoldingandhoodingwereanothercommonformofdeprivationofsensorystimulationthatthe7
children reported. Hooding is an intentional form of deprivation of normal sensory stimulation andconstitutestortureorill-treatmentinandofitself10.
• Humiliationofthechildrenwasubiquitousandoccurred inalmostallstagesofarrest,detentionand
prison sentence. They reported insults to their family members. Sexual insults to female familymemberswereparticularlydamagingasthishadaprofoundpsychologicalimpactbyunderminingthecultureandmanhoodofthechild.Insultstoreligion,religiousandculturalpracticeswerealsocommonplace.
9Allindividualsnamedinthisreporthavebeengivenaliasestoprotecttheiridentities.10IndependentForensicExpertGroup,StatementonHooding.TortureJournal,Volume21,Number3,2011.Availableat:http://www.irct.org/Files/Filer/TortureJournal/21_03_2011/Statement-on-hooding-3-2011.pdf
• Oneof themost difficult formsof humiliation came in the formof forced stripping,which featuredridiculingthebodyandappearanceoftheindividualwiththeaimofaffrontinghisdignityandridiculinghissenseofmanhood.Someofthemalechildrenwereharassedbyafemaleinterrogatorwhowouldstripnakedinfrontofthemandsitontheirlapswhiletheywerehandcuffed.
• Poor detention conditions include extended periods in isolation, small cells, constant light, cold airfromtheairconditionerinthewinterandhotairinthesummer.Inadequatetoiletfacilities,amountingto a hole in a corner for defecating. The bedmattresses were reportedly inadequate, which left anumberofthechildrenverycoldduringthenights.Thechildrenreportedbeingdeniedvisitsandleftlargelyisolated.Thefoodprovidedwasoftenrottenorhadafoulodour.Extendedperiodsofisolationwasoftenusedinthebuilduptointerrogations,soastoweakenthespiritofthedetainee.Therewerealsonumerousreportsofovercrowdedcellswithpoorhygienicstandards.
• Thechildrenalsoreportedbeingdisconcertedbythepresenceoflargescalecrackdownsbyriotpoliceknown as “Nahshoun” in the detention facilities, which kept them in a high state of alert. Theyreportedthattheseraidswereverystressfulandfeaturedpolicedogs,destructionsandconfiscationofpropertyandbeatingandthreats.
• Thechildrenallegethatduringdetention,psychologicalformsofharmweremuchmoreprevalentthan
physical forms of harm and ill-treatment. One of the children reported being visited by a personpurportingtobe fromtheRedCross.Thispersonwas friendlyandtoldhimthathis familywaswell,althoughhismotherhadpassedaway.TheclientlaterfoundoutthathismotherwasstillaliveandthatthepersonpretendingtobefromtheRedCrosswasjustinfactanotherinterrogator.
• Banningfamilyvisitsandusingisolationasadisciplinarymeasurewasreported.Thechildrenoftenhadvery scant access to lawyers and family members leading to further psychological pressure andisolation.
• Theexpansionofthepolicyofmovingtheprisonersperiodicallyasapunishmentmeasureaimedatthedetainee missing the trust he has with colleagues he knows compared to the new once whom hedoubtsandaresultthepermanentfeelingoflackofsecurity.Thismakesitdifficultandstandsagainstthe visits from family and regulators including lawyers and human rights organizations because ofbeinginformedoftheprisoner’stransferundershortnotice.
• TRChas also noted a significant increase in the use of psychological torture during interrogation, in
whichmostofthedetaineesareheldinisolationinharshhealthconditions.Thiscanconsequentlyleadtoissuessuchashallucinationsandconfusion,whichendangersthementalstatusofthedetainee.
• Allofthechildrenreportedspendingextendedperiodsoftimehandcuffedorforcedtostandorsitting.
For examples, many mentioned being transported by a vehicle known as “Albosta”, which collectsdetaineesfromallprisonstopresentthemincourt.Theseatsaremadeofmetalwithnobacksupportandthedetainee ishandcuffedtightly.The journeybackandforthcansometimes lastmorethan17hours, leavingthedetaineeisextremelytiredandexhausted.ThedetaineescanbebroughtbeforeaCourtsometimesupto30times.
Recommendations1. Tostopphysicallyandpsychologicallytorturingandill-treatingchildren,includingthroughtheexcessive
useofforceduringarrest,beatings,prolongedconstraintandthreats.
2. Ensurethatnominorsareimprisonedinadultfacilities.
3. Toinformtheparentsandlegalguardiansofthewhereaboutsofchilddetaineesandallowingthemfullvisitingrights.
4. Toguaranteethatchildrenhaveaccesstolegalrepresentationandtoensurethatlawyersareabletocontactandvisittheirclients.
5. Toendtheuseofsolitaryconfinementagainstchildren
6. Toguaranteethatchilddetaineeswithmedicalneedsareabletoreceiveproperattentionandcareandthattheirparentsorlegalguardiansareinformedandgivenaccesstovisitthechildduringtreatment.
