Palestinian Ministry of Prisoners' Affairs confirmed that the report issued by "B'Tselem" on the detention of children is away from the truth, with respect to the large number of arrested minors every year during raids at checkpoints, schools and homes.
Director of Media at the ministry Riad Al-Ashkar showed that the report of "B'Tselem" reported that the Israeli occupation arrested 853 children over 5 years, and this number is very few, and it did not equate 25% of arrests that carried out by the Israeli occupation forces against children during the mentioned period.
Al-Ashkar affirmed that Ministry of Prisoners monitored more than three thousand minors, less than 18 years, that have been arrested during the years between 2005 to 2010, some of whom are still in the Israeli prisons, but the vast majority of them were released either after the investigation or finishing the period of their sentences.
He also pointed out that the Israeli occupation arrested in 2010 more than a thousand Palestinian children, aged between 15 to18 years, half of them from Jerusalem, whereas, those minors are being arrested on charge of pelting cars with stones.
Al-Ashkar said that the Israeli occupation is still arresting 280 Palestinian children less that the age of 18 years, one third of no more than 15 years, and they are exercising all forms of abuse, torture and deprivation against those arrested.
Al-Ashkar confirmed that Israeli occupation soldiers and investigators are using various methods of torture against children, and they deliberately put pressure on those children to force them to confess, by using methods do not differ from those used against arrested adults.
Accordingly, Al-Ashkar called on all international and human rights organizations to work hard to end the suffering of prisoners in Israeli jails.
