Children in Israeli prisons – Children deprived of their childhood, 10 July 2023, 18:30-20:30, Geneva

This event, in parallel to the 53rd Session of the UN Human Rights Council, will take place on the 10th of July, from 19:00 to 20:30, at the Institut des cultures arabes et méditerranéennes (Rue de Fribourg 5, 1201 Genève). This event will be accompanied by a photographic exhibition: “Children of a lesser God”, by the Italian photographer Roberto Brancolini. The photos will be exhibited on 10-12 July. Find out more about the photographer here.

Despite the fact that international norms reaffirm that civilians, especially children, generally should not be brought before military courts, Israel persists in being the only country in the world to automatically and systematically prosecute children in military courts.

The deprivation of liberty experienced by Palestinian children in the Israeli military justice system is arbitrary by default primarily because Israeli authorities systematically disregard and deny fundamental protections and guarantees concerning the right to a fair trial to the extent that nearly any deprivation of liberty as part of the military court system is of an arbitrary character. The most egregious cases involve Israeli authorities’ use of administrative detention, or imprisonment without charge or trial, against Palestinian children. Palestinian children held under administrative detention orders are never presented with charges, and their detention is based on secret evidence that is neither disclosed to the detainee nor the detainee’s attorney.

Moderator:

• Alex Kamarotos, Executive Director of Defence for Children International

Discussion panel:

• Francesca Albanese, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967
• Khaled Quzmar, President of the DCI Movement & Director General of DCI-Palestine
• Nery Ramati, Israeli lawyer defending Palestinian children in military courts
• Roberto Brancolini, Photographer of the exhibition ‘Children of a Lesser God’

For the online registration click here (Space for the event limited to 58 people. The reservations will be dealt with on a first come first served basis). This event will also be livestreamed on Facebook.