Israeli Occupation Continues to Violate the Rights of Palestinian Women     

March 2018

 

Israeli occupation forces continue to violate the rights of Palestinian women. In fact, there are 62 Palestinian females held in Israeli prisons and detention centers, including 6 female children, 9 injured prisoners and 3 administrative detainees held without charge or trial. In total, 35 are held in HaSharon Prison and 25 are held in Damon Prison. Both of these prisons are located inside Israel in contravention of the Forth Geneva Convention which prohibits the transfer of the population from the occupied territory to the territory of the occupier.

Since the beginning of the occupation 50 years ago in 1967, over 10,000 Palestinian women have been arrested and detained by Israeli occupation forces. In 2018, Palestinian women and girls are routinely arrested from the streets, Israeli military checkpoints, and during violent night raids on their homes. Those military incursions are accompanied with the presence of Israeli soldiers, intelligence officers, and police dogs, during which destruction of household items and property damage takes place. They are blindfolded and handcuffed, and they are forcibly taken to a military jeep.

R. L., a 17-year-old girl from the city of Jerusalem, was arrested on 5 February 2016 from the street. During the arrest, the Israeli soldiers harshly beat her and transferred to al-Mascobiyya for interrogation. Throughout the transfer, she was handcuffed and eyes folded, she was also humiliated, insulted and beaten by the soldiers. R. L. did not know where she was going neither her parents did. As for interrogations, she was interrogated for three days and by three Israeli officers without her lawyer, also her hands and legs were cuffed. She was tortured during interrogations; put in stress positions, beaten and deprived of sleep and food. R. L. was accused of possessing a knife, however, she was released on bail after four days of the detention. Her release was conditional, so her family had to pay 2500 Shekels (around 750 USD), and she was forcibly transferred to another village in Jerusalem but is far away from her parent’s house. Then, she was placed under house arrest until she was sentenced to 14 months of imprisonment. In fact, since 5 February 2018 R. L. has been detained in Hasharon prison along with another 5 female minors. After an appeal her sentence got reduced to 8 months instead of 14, so R. L. is expected to get released in October 2018.

Interrogation and Mistreatment

Upon being taken to interrogation and detention centers, female Palestinian detainees are routinely denied an explanation of their rights and the reason for their arrests. Often, they are denied attorney access and held for several days under interrogation where they are subjected to torture and ill-treatment. The methods of torture and ill-treatment used against female Palestinian prisoners cause severe physical and mental suffering. Interrogation methods include prolonged isolation from the outside world, inhumane detention conditions, excessive use of blindfolds and handcuffs, sleep deprivation, denial of food and water for extended periods, denial of access to toilets, denial of access to showers or change of clothes for days or weeks, being forced into stress positions, yelling,  insults and cursing, and sexual harassment.

32-year-old L. Sh. is an administrative detainee, she was arrested in October 2017. L. Sh, is a mother of 6 the youngest is currently three years old. She was taken from her own house after a raid from the Israeli occupation soldiers who strip-searched her before arresting her. Since she is under administrative detention that means she does not know her charges neither does her lawyer. Still, L. Sh. was interrogated for days. She reported:

“During interrogations, I was surprised when the officer was asking me about an operation I’m planning to commit. The officers kept telling me that they know about a dream I had which was about me committing an operation against them. One time they even told me they know about the dream and about the fact that I told my neighbors about it. I didn’t know what to say so I asked them to let me sleep maybe I’ll have another dream which might have the answers they want.”[1] 

Struggle for Education

Palestinian girls and women in Israeli detention centers are deprived of their right to education. In fact, female minors are not provided with any school classes in detention, which is in direct violation of international laws and standards. Thus, being a young Palestinian female detained in Israeli prisons it means you will end up being late in school, if not eventually dropping out. Currently, there are 6 female minors detained, most of them are supposed to do their official high school exams at the end of the educational year. However, those young girls are not provided with any educational services by the Israeli Prison Service (IPS) to prepare them for those exams. Nevertheless, since those young girls are detained in the same detention centers as adult women, PLC member Khalida Jarrar has been preparing those girls for the exams.

Khalida Jarrar is currently under administrative detention, she also announced her total boycott of Israeli military courts. A boycott Campaign of military courts was announced by administrative detainees last month, the campaign started officially on 1 March 2018, currently, there are 450 administrative detainees. Khalida stated,

“Greetings to all Palestinian women and women from the entire world. On this International Women’s Day, I assure the importance of unity among women in their national and social struggles against colonization, discrimination and social exploitation. 8^th of March is an opportunity for unity among us to fight for justice.”

[2]

 

As Palestinians celebrate the occasion of Mothers’ Day, 21 Palestinian mothers held in Israeli prisons and detention centers are unable to see their families. Those 21 women are mothers of 87 sons and daughters who are all spending this mother’s day without mothers. Palestinian mothers are often denied their right to a fair trial, family visits, and kept for several days or months under interrogation where they are subjected to torture and ill-treatment. The methods of torture and ill-treatment used against Palestinian mothers inside Israeli prisons cause severe physical and mental suffering. Interrogation methods include prolonged isolation from the outside world, inhumane detention conditions, excessive use of blindfolds and handcuffs, sleep deprivation, denial of food and water for extended periods of time, denial of proper medical treatment, denial of access to toilets, denial of access to showers or change of clothes for days or weeks, being forced into stress positions, yelling, insults and cursing, and sexual harassment. 

Mothers in Detention

Palestinian women are held in HaShron and Damon prisons inside Israel, and currently, there is one mother held in al-Ramleh prison. This means that they are all illegally transferred from the occupied West Bank and Gaza into Israel. The illegal transfer of prisoners amounts to a violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which states that “persons accused of offenses shall be detained in the occupied country.”[3] It also amounts to the deportation of protected persons which, under article 49 of the same convention, is a war crime.[4] There are further implications resulting from this crime, such as the difficulties children face in order to visit their mothers. Children, just like all Palestinians who wish to visit their detained relatives, face a long and arduous process. It includes applying for a permit, long hours of traveling, being searched and finally having to see one's mother from behind a glass. Actually, those 21 imprisoned women are mothers of 87 sons and daughters and most of them are children.

Furthermore, mothers under international humanitarian law are provided with special protection. This protection is ensured by several articles in the Fourth Geneva convention, for example, article 89 mentions special and extra services need to be provided to mothers and pregnant women in occupied territories.[5] Other articles place a special attention to the age of children. As such, article 50 of the same convention states that this special attention should be given to mothers of children under the age of 7.[6] Furthermore, in cases of detained mothers, article 76 (2) from Additional Protocol 1 of the Geneva Conventions states that those mothers should have their cases considered with the highest priority.

 

 

Mothers with Detained Sons and Daughters

Currently, there are 6119 Palestinian Prisoners in detention, this number includes around 350 children imprisoned. Most of those prisoners are illegally deported from the occupied territory into the territory of the occupied. This number also means that there are around 6000 Palestinian mothers deprived of their children. Those mothers suffer to visit their detained sons and daughters and many of them are panned from visiting under the ‘security threat’ argument. Even when mothers receive permits that allow them to visit they face a long and difficult process. Not so long ago in December 2017, a bus from Gaza with Palestinian families heading to visit their imprisoned relatives was stopped by a group led by an Israeli Knesset member. Those families were harassed and humiliated especially mothers who were verbally threatened with their detained sons and daughter.

Palestinian Females in the Context of International Law

 

Israel is accountable for its actions in the occupied territories, including West Bank military checkpoints, particularly the ill-treatment of women during arrests and transfers. Article 12 of General Recommendation 28 by the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women on the Core Obligations of States Parties states that:

“Although subject to international law, States primarily exercise territorial jurisdiction. The obligations of States parties apply, however, without discrimination both to citizens and non-citizens, including refugees, asylum-seekers, migrant workers and stateless persons, within their territory or effective control, even if not situated within the territory. States parties are responsible for all their actions affecting human rights, regardless of whether the affected persons are in their territory.”[7]

In its General Recommendation No. 30 on women in conflict prevention, conflict and post-conflict situations, the Committee confirm the aforementioned paragraph, stating, “… the obligations of States parties also apply extraterritorially to persons within their effective control, even if not situated within their territory, and that States parties are responsible for all their actions affecting human rights, regardless of whether the affected persons are in their territory”.[8]

Testimonies by Palestinian women and girls highlight the brutality of the arrest process as well as conditions inside Israeli interrogation, detention and prison centers, and even hospitals while in custody. The abuse, ill-treatment, and torture of Palestinian women and girls take place within the context of the ongoing occupation of 50 years and annexation of Palestinian lands. In the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against women, States Parties emphasize “that the eradication of apartheid, all forms of racism, racial discrimination, colonialism, neo-colonialism, aggression, foreign occupation and domination and interference in the internal affairs of States is essential to the full enjoyment of the rights of men and women”.[9]

Addameer Calls the International Community for:

·         The United Nations and all States Parties call upon Israel to respect, uphold and strive to surpass the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against women, and UN Security Council Resolution 1325, in regulating the treatment of women and girls during interrogation and detention, and their lives of women and girls in prison. 

·         States Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention call for an end to physical and psychological abuse in the hands of soldiers during the arrests of Palestinian women and girls and their illegal detention in occupying territory, accountability.

·         States Parties call for an end to the practices of physical and psychological torture and ill-treatment of Palestinian women under interrogation. 

·         States Parties to the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against women call upon Israel to develop a gender-sensitive policy for the treatment of Palestinian female prisoners.

 

 

 

#	Name	Address	Date of Birth	Date of Arrest	Sentence	Prison
1	Yasmin Sha'ban	Jenin	1/24/1983	11/3/14	5	HaSharon
2	Amal Taqatqa	Bethlehem	5/20/1994	01/12/2014	7	HaSharon
3	Mayson Jabali	Bethlehem	19/10/1995	29/06/2015	15	HaSharon
4	Rawan abu Ziyada	Ramallah	5/12/1992	15/7/2015	9	HaSharon
5	Shuruq Dewyat	Jerusalem	13/8/1997	11/10/2015	16	HaSharon
6	Marah Bakeer	Jerusalem	26/1/1999	12/10/2015	8.5	HaSharon
7	Israa' Ja'abees	Jerusalem	22/7/1984	10/10/2015	11	HaSharon
8	Nisreen Hassan	Gaza	42	18/10/2015	Waiting Trail	Damon
9	Hilwa Hamamra	Bethlehem		8/11/2015	6	Damon
10	Nourhan Awad	Qalandia Camp	19/1/1999	23/11/2015	13،5	HaSharon
11	Lama al-Bakri	Hebron	25/8/2000	13/12/2015	39 Months	HaSharon
12	Abla al-A'dam	Hebron	45	20/12/2015	3	HaSharon
13	Manal Sheweki	Jerusalem	12/9/2000	21/12/2015	6	HaSharon
14	Ataya Abu A'ysha	Jerusalem	4/12/1987	15/12/2015	5	Damon
15	Malak Sliman	Jerusalem	11/1/00	9/2/2016	10	HaSharon
16	Hadya A'rinat	Jericho	21/5/2001	3/3/2016	3	HaSharon
17	Ansam Shawahna	Qalqilya	31/10/1997	3/9/2016	5	Damon
18	Shatyla Abu Ahed	Kufur Qassem	23	3/4/2016	16	HaSharon
19	Jamila Jaber	Salfit	12/3/1999	5/7/2016	2.5	Damon
20	Ghader al-A'trash	Hebron	12/9/1991	9/8/2015	Waiting Trail	HaSharon
21	Ayat Mahfouth	Hebron		09/05/2016	5	HaSharon
22	Ayah Shawamra	Jerusalem	22	15/9/2016	Waiting Trail	HaSharon
23	Sabreen Zbydat	Sekhneen	23/11/1986	22/9/2016	50 Months	HaSharon
24	Amani al-Hasheem	Jerusalem	31	13/12/2016	Waiting Trail	HaSharon
25	Jihan Hashma	Jerusalem	عام35		Waiting Trail	Damon
26	Samiha Abu Rmilah	Jerusalem		01/01/2017	Waiting Trail	Damon
27	Israa' Jaber	Hebron	31/12/1999	11/2/2017	Waiting Trail	HaSharon
28	Batoul al-Ramahi	Ramallah	6/11/1993	03/12/2017	Waiting Trail	Damon
29	Istabraq al-Tamimi	al-Ram	25/11/1995	20/3/2017	2	Damon
30	Asya Ka'abna	Nablus	10/3/1987	24/4/2017	Waiting Trail	Damon
31	Bayan Far'on	al-Azarya	14/5/1994	03/12/2017	Waiting Trail	Damon
32	Ibtisam Mousa	Gaza	59 عام		Waiting Trail	HaSharon
33	Khalida Jarrar	Al-Bireh	9/2/1963	07/02/2017	Administrative Detainee	HaSharon
34	Tahreer Abu Sarya	Nablus	27/4/1993	24/7/2017	Waiting Trail	HaSharon
35	Manal Da'na	Jerusalem		07/02/2017	15 Months	Damon
36	Jiyana Hayawi	Beir Nabalah	13/6/1997	28/4/2017	Waiting Trail	Damon
37	Rawan A'nbar	Jifna/Ramallah	30/4/1995	23/7/2017	Waiting Trail	Damon
38	Nour Zriqat	Hebron	20/5/2000	30/5/2017	20 Months	HaSharon
39	Fadwa Hamadeh	Jerusalem	10/11/1987	13/8/2017	Waiting Trail	HaSharon
40	Amal Sa'ed	Bethlehem		10/01/2017	Waiting Trail	HaSharon
41	Khadija Rab'i	Hebron	30	10/10/2017	Administrative Detainee	Damon
42	Bushra al-Taweel	Al-Bireh		11/01/2017	Administrative Detainee	HaSharon
43	Ihsan Abu Samra	Hebron		28/6/2017	Waiting Trail	Damon
44	Aysha al-Afghani	Jerusalem		24/12/2016	Waiting Trail	HaSharon
45	Amira Taqatqa	Bethlehem			Waiting Trail	Damon
46	Israa' alA'ina	Hebron
47	Amina Mahmoud	Jerusalem		12/04/2017	Waiting Trail	HaSharon
48	Hanan al-Akhdar	Hebron		01/12/2017	months 9	HaSharon
49	Ahed Tamimi	Nabi Saleh	1/8/2002	19/12/2017	Waiting Trail	HaSharon
50	Nariman Tamimi	Nabi Saleh	40	19/12/2017	Waiting Trail	HaSharon
51	Yasmin Abu Srour	Bethlehem/ Ayda Camp	20	17/1/2018	Waiting Trail
52	Areej Houshyeh	Jerusalem			Waiting Trail
53	Tasneem al-Assad	48 land			Waiting Trail
54	Rahmeh al-Assad	land 48			Waiting Trail
55	Niveen Abu Sil	Hebron			Waiting Trail
56	Bayan Khamaysa	Hebron			Waiting Trail
57	Ramah Ja'abees	Jerusalem	23/12/2001	02/05/2018	8 months	HaSharon
58	Hiba Jaja	Hebron
59	Haneen A'bar
60	A'beer Abu Khdair	Jerusalem	48	4/3/2018	2 months	al-Ramleh
61	Sarah Abu Hameed	Bethlehem			4 months	Damon
62	Fatma Jarrar	Jenin	20	6/3/2018

 

 

Name of Palestinian mothers currently held in Israeli prisons and detention center:

1-      Yasmeen Sha’ban, sentenced to five years and a mother of four children.

2-      Israa’ Ja’abees, sentenced to 11 years and a mother of one child.

3-      Helweh Hamamreh, sentenced to six years and a mother of one child.

4-      Nisreen Hassan, waiting for a trial and a mother of seven children.

5-      Ablah al-Adam, sentenced to three years and a mother of nine children.

6-      Sabreen Zbeydat, sentenced to 50 months and a mother of three children.

7-      Amani Hasheem, waiting for a trail and a mother of two children.

8-      Ghadeer al-Atrash, waiting for a trail and a mother of three children.

9-      Jihan Hashmeh, waiting for trail and a mother of three children.

10-   Sameha abu Remyleh, waiting for a trail and a mother of four children.

11-   Ibtesam Eid, waiting for a trail and a mother of seven children.

12-   Khalida Jarrar, administrative detainee and a mother of two children.

13-   Nariman Tamimi, waiting for a trail and a mother of two children.

14-   Hanan al-Akhdar, sentenced to nine months and a mother of five children.

15-   Fadwa Hamadeh, waiting for a trail and a mother of five children.

16-   Khadija al-Rabe’I, administrative detainee and a mother of six children.

17-   Amal Sa’ed, waiting for a trail and a mother of six children.

18-   Abeer abu Khdair, sentenced to two months and a mother of five children.

19-   Hiba Jajeh, waiting for a trail and a mother of two children.

20-   Asiya Ka’abneh, waiting for a trail and a mother of eight children.

21-   Niveen Shalaldeh, waiting for a trail and a mother of two children.

 

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[2] Affidavit to Addameer Attorney at HaSharon Prison on 6 March 2018 with PLC member Khalida Jarar.