Israeli lawyer on UK tour with ‘Kids Court in Conflict’ campaign
An Israeli lawyer has told young British Jews in London, Leeds and Manchester about the different legal system under which Jewish and Palestinian children are processed in the West Bank.
Nery Ramati, who works as defence counsel for Palestinian children, said the British Jewish community could help press for improved access rights under Israel’s military justice system in the territory.
In Hampstead at the invitation of Jewish group Yachad, Ramati told British human rights lawyer Danny Friedman QC that there can be hundreds of Palestinian children in Israeli prisons at any one time, many for stone-throwing.
First @CourtinConflict event with lawyer Israeli Nery Ramati, discussing the military courts in the West Bank pic.twitter.com/vkD7USJbfs
— YachadUK (@YachadUK) March 1, 2015
‘What ought to be temporary is now an institution’ says Danny Friedman QC, talking about the military courts. #kidscourtinconflict — KidsCourtinConflict (@CourtinConflict) March 1, 2015
Ramati’s UK tour is part of the Kids Court in Conflict campaign, during which British Jewish groups hope to raise £26,000 to pay for a full-time lawyer to represent Palestinian children in the IDF court system.
It follows a high-profile 2013 report by NGO Military Court Watch which found that only 5 percent of Palestinian children had access to a lawyer before trial.
Palestinian youths can be detained for 90 days without access to a lawyer, and for up to 150 days without charge, but Israeli youngsters have a lawyer within 48 hours and must be charged within 40 days.
Danny Friedman QC describes the state of Ofer Military Court as ‘deeply unnerving’ #kidscourtinconflict pic.twitter.com/GALLKoIEgL — KidsCourtinConflict (@CourtinConflict) March 1, 2015
Nery shows @CourtinConflict a ridiculously young child, hands tied, being questioned sans lawyer #kidscourtinconflict pic.twitter.com/gimCNZP1qV
— Gabriel Webber (@gabrielquotes) March 1, 2015
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