Written answers

Tuesday, 17 April 2018

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Human Rights

Photo of Seán CroweSeán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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195. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn to a video (details supplied); and the actions he will take in this regard. [16222/18]

Photo of Simon CoveneySimon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Officials of my Department have viewed an excerpt from the video interrogation record, and read a transcript. It is disturbing to see that a 16 year old child was aggressively interrogated at close quarters for a long period, especially when it is not clear that any family or legal representative was present. I was particularly shocked that threats to detain other family members were made in the course of the interrogation. This would be inappropriate in any jurisdiction, and in relation to a detained person of any age. I refer the Deputy to my earlier reply to Question 50 on 28 March last, in relation to this case and to issues affecting children under the military justice system in the Occupied Territory. As I said then, Palestinian children are clearly subject to widespread treatment which Israel would – correctly – consider to be unacceptable for its own children. The video footage only reinforces the concerns about this case which I expressed in my earlier replies on this issue. The video is illuminating in terms of the pressures placed on detainees, including children, to accept plea bargains in the Israeli military court system. The fact that the Israeli military court system has a conviction rate of almost 100% raises grave questions about due process.

I repeat my call for the Israeli authorities to re-examine the conduct of this case, and others involving minors. Until they do so, the image of Israel and the legal system imposed on Palestinians will be gravely impaired.

During my visit to the Middle East in January, I raised Ireland’s concerns about the detention of minors directly with the Israeli authorities, including the issues of night-time arrests and blindfolding.

I recalled that the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child entails obligations to use detention only as a means of last resort and for the shortest appropriate period of time, in the case of minors.

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