Nakba Day: Addameer Gravely Concerned about Mass Arrests in East Jerusalem

 

Since Friday 13 May, Israeli police, including a number of undercover officers, have arrested approximately 50 to 60 Palestinians, including 8 children between the ages of 15 and 17, in East Jerusalem in relation to demonstrations commemorating the Palestinian Nakba. So far Addameer is representing 25 Palestinians arrested on Friday, mostly from the neighborhoods of Issawiya and Bab al-Hutta, and another 8 arrested on Saturday from Ras Al-Amud and Silwan. The arrests were violent and involved severe beatings and use of stun guns, with one detainee’s hand broken in the process. Despite the violence, the individuals represented by Addameer reported that they did not receive prompt medical treatment for their injuries. Instead, they were interrogated immediately upon their arrival at the Al-Moskobiyeh detention center, receiving only basic medical attention much later. The majority were also forced to sign confessions in Hebrew.

Addameer’s lawyer, who was covering these cases in court on Saturday and Sunday reported that all of them showed extensive injuries and bruising, as well as bloodied clothes. While most of the adults had their detention extended for another 4 or 5 days until charges are brought against them, the children’s detention was extended for 3 days until 17 May.

Of particular concern is the case of a 15-year-old boy attacked, beaten and kicked to the floor by undercover police officers in Issawiya on Friday at noon. The boy’s mother was injured in the leg while trying to intervene and the boy himself reported being taken with a group of other detainees to an open field in an unknown location, where the police officers photographed them. He was then taken to Al-Moskobiyeh where he was again attacked by four police officers who punched him in the face and told him that he should confess.

Addameer is gravely concerned about the lack of due process during these arrests and the serious ill-treatment of the detainees, especially minors, who should be entitled to additional protection under international and Israeli law. Addameer will continue to follow and report on these arrests.