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Home » Children »

Testimony: A.M.F.B.

 

Name:  A.M.F.B.
Age:  13
Date:  19 May 2020
Location:  Yabad, West Bank
Accusation:  None

On 19 May 2020, a 13-year-old minor from Yabad was arrested by Israeli soldiers from home at 3:00 p.m. following the killing of a soldier in his village. He reports being denied his basic legal rights under Israeli military law. He reports being released without charge 12 hours after he was detained. 

There was an incident in the village where an Israeli soldier was killed. A few days later about 50 soldiers surrounded our house at around 3:00 p.m. About 10 soldiers entered our home and asked my father for me. When my father asked the commander what he wanted from me the commander said he wanted to take me for questioning but did not say why. My father was shocked and told the commander I was just 13-years-old and how could someone my age be arrested. The commander ignored my father.  

A soldier tied my hands to the front with three plastic ties: one on each wrist and another connecting the two. The ties were tight and painful. I was also blindfolded. Then a soldier tied the hands of my father and blindfolded him and the two of us were taken outside. We were both taken to the back of a jeep and they made us sit on the metal floor. The jeep drove to a nearby military checkpoint where we were taken to a courtyard and the soldiers made us sit on the ground. 
 
Someone approached me and asked me whether I had any illnesses. After that my father and I were left on the ground for about two hours. Then a soldier removed our ties and blindfolds and took me and my father into a room. The soldiers were shouting in Hebrew but they did not speak to us. Then they took me outside and kept my father. A short time later they took me inside again and told my father to leave the room.
 
I was left in the room with an interrogator in civilian clothes who asked me some questions about the day when the soldier was killed. The interrogator wanted to know if I saw anything. I told him I was asleep at the time and did not see anything. The interrogator started to raise his voice at me and told me he did not believe that I was asleep the whole time. He repeated his question again and asked me what I saw and who else was in our house. I told him I did not see anything.
 
He questioned me for about 20 minutes and did not inform me of any rights. I did not speak to a lawyer and was not given any documents to sign. Then I was taken outside. I was scared and worried that they would tell my father to leave without me. I was tired and hungry. At around 2:00 a.m. my father and I were told we could go home. It was a difficult 12 hours and I still worry that the soldiers might come back for me.
 
This testimony was produced with the financial support of the German Federal Foreign Office. Its contents are the sole responsibility of Military Court Watch.