[child-rights] Israel: Insufficient number of Palestinian children figure in the recent releases linked to the roadmap peace plan

PRESS RELEASE
Geneva, August 7th, 2003

The World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) joins with Defence for
Children International-Palestine Section, a member of OMCT’s network, in
deploring the low number of Palestinian children who were released by the
Israeli authorities on August 6th, 2003, as part of the so-called roadmap
peace plan.

Of the approximately 340 persons who were released, only 13 were children,
and 9 of the latter had almost served their sentences at the time of their
release, while the other four were being held under administrative
detention.

OMCT considers that the Israeli authorities have missed a significant
opportunity to make a strong and positive gesture, given that some 350
children were being held in Israeli detention centres when the
afore-mentioned releases took place.

As a result, OMCT urges the authorities to order the unconditional release
of all minors that remain in detention, bearing in mind that children are
a group that is particularly vulnerable within the context of the
occupation.

OMCT recalls that the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which was
ratified by Israel on October 3rd, 1991, states that “the arrest,
detention or imprisonment of a child shall be in conformity with the law
and shall be used only as a measure of last resort and for the shortest
appropriate period of time.”

OMCT Contact: Christine Ferrier +4122 809.49.39



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