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Home » Children »

Testimony: A.M.M.N.

 

Name: A.M.M.N.
Age: 14
Date: 21 January 2019
Location: Al 'Arrub camp, West Bank
Accusation: Bail violation
 
On 21 January 2019, a 14-year-old minor from Al 'Arrub refugee camp was arrested by Israeli soldiers from home at 2:30 a.m. for violating his bail conditions. He reports not being questioned. He reports being sentenced in Ofer military court to 1 month in prison. 
 
I knew there were Israeli soldiers in our refugee camp so I could not sleep. At around 2:30 a.m. I heard loud banging at our front door. My father answered and about seven soldiers entered our home. 
 
The commander told my father they wanted to arrest me because I did not show up at the military court after I was released on bail as ordered. He told my father I had missed eight military court hearings. Then the commander gave my father a document about my arrest with a circle around Etzion police station. My uncle signed the document because it was in Hebrew and my uncle speaks Hebrew. 
 
Then I was taken outside and led towards the military watchtower at the entrance to our camp where my hands were tied behind my back with three plastic ties: one on each wrist and another connecting the two. The ties were not painful. Then they blindfolded me and took me to the back of a military vehicle where I sat on the floor.
 
I was taken to the police station in Etzion settlement. I was immediately taken for a medical examination and then I was strip searched before being taken to a shipping container where I sat on a chair. I could not sleep.
 
I was left there for two days. No one spoke to me. I was given some food and drink. On the third day I was taken to the military court. 
 
The military judge wanted to know why I did not show up at court as requested.  I told the judge my family did not have money and we could not afford the cost of the trip to court. Then he told me that if I had come to court he would have given me back the NIS 1,100 my parents had paid when I was released on bail.  After the hearing I was taken to Ofer prison, near Jerusalem, where I was searched in my underwear. 
 
I had three military court hearings and at the last one the judge sentenced me to four months in prison but my lawyer objected and he got it reduced to one month in prison. After court I was taken to Ofer prison where I spent a month. I was released on 21 February 2019.