Comparative graph
Statistics
Developments
Fact sheet
Newsletter
About us
Contact
Donate
 
Bookmark and Share
  change font size تصغير الخط تكبير الخط print
Home » Children »

Testimony: M.D.M.N.

 

Name:  M.D.M.N.
Age:  14
Date:  5 August 2019
Location:  Al 'Arrub camp, West Bank
Accusation:  Protesting

On 5 August 2019, the father of a 14-year-old minor from Al 'Arrub refugee camp was served with a summons at 1:00 a.m. for his son to attend an interrogation. The minor reports consulting with a lawyer prior to interrogation but not being informed of his right to silence by the interrogator. He reports being released 3 days after he was arrested. 

I was staying at my grandparents’ house when Israeli soldiers raided our family home around 1:00 a.m. My father opened the door and asked for me. When my father told them I was not home the commander gave him a written summons telling me to go to the police station at 7:00 a.m. 
 
Later that morning my father and I went to the police station in Etzion settlement as ordered. We were there at 8:30 a.m. We waited for about 30 minutes and then I was taken inside for interrogation. They did not allow my father to accompany me. 
 
As soon as I entered the interrogator phoned a lawyer and handed me the telephone to speak to him. The lawyer told me not to confess and to remain silent. I spoke with the lawyer for less than a minute and the interrogator left the room during the conversation.
 
Then, without informing me of my right to silence, the interrogator showed me a photograph of clashes with soldiers and accused me of taking part. I denied the accusation. The interrogator lost his temper and raised his voice at me and repeated the accusation.  Then he wanted me to tell him the name of the person in the photo and I told him I did not know him. The interrogator thumped the table and was very angry when I told him I did not know the person. 
 
The interrogator then allowed my father into the room and showed him the photograph and asked him whether it was me and my father said it was not. He immediately told my father to get out. The interrogation lasted for about 10 minutes. My father later told me that the interrogator spoke to him while he was waiting for me and gave him the impression he was going to release me if I confessed and wanted my father to put pressure on me to confess.
 
The interrogator then tied my hands behind my back with one plastic tie which was tight and painful, blindfolded me and took me outside. I was left there tied and blindfolded until around 4:00 p.m. 
 
At around 4:00 p.m. I was strip searched and taken to a cell. I spent two nights at Etzion and on the third day I was taken to Ofer prison, near Jerusalem. At around 8:00 p.m. I was taken back to Etzion and I was released from there on 7 August 2019. I went home with my father. The lawyer told my father I have a scheduled hearing on 14 November 2019.