The Independent Commission for Human Rights - ICHR 57 2.1.2.3 Complaints by category 1. Complaints by children In 2021, the ICHR received 52 complaints involving children, including 16 in the West Bank and 36 in the Gaza Strip. These were filed by children’s parents. During routine visits to prisons, ICHR field researchers also documented some complaints made by children themselves. Complaints included 88 claims of abuses of children’s right to physical integrity in both the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Claims featured physical or mental violence, torture, threats, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, and failure to provide needed protection by government institutions to children in need of protection. Some children also claimed that they were beaten in schools. In this context, complaints included claims of more than one violation(s) of the right to physical integrity by the same victim. A detailed account shows that 16 complaints were lodged by in the West Bank, including 20 claims of infringements on children’s right to physical integrity. All 36 complaints filed in the Gaza Strip involved 68 similar claims. Chart 3: Patterns of violations of children’s right to physical integrity 50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 43 25 18 2 Physical or mental violence Torture and threats Cruel treatment failure to provide protection to battered persons against violence A. B., a 17-year-old boy and high school (Tawjihi) student, stated that, on 18 November A. B., a 17-year-old highbeaten schoolwhile (Tawjihi) stated that, on 18 November 2021, he 2021, heboy wasand severely he wasstudent, being detained by Police personnel in Ramallah. was severely The beaten whilewas he abused was being detainedofby Police personnel in Ramallah. The student student on account participating in a sit-in protest in front of the was abused onRamallah account MoE of participating in a sit-in protest in frontthat of the Ramallah MoEbedirectorate directorate district office, demanding academic material excluded district office,from demanding academic material be excluded the high school (Tawjihi) examthe highthat school (Tawjihi) examinations. He from was taken to and detained for several inations. He was taken to and detained for several hours in the Ein Musbah Police station. He was hours in the Ein Musbah Police station. He was released on the same day. released on the same day. R. B., a 16-year-old boy, reported that he was subjected to severe beating and torture by R. B., a 16-year-old boy, reported that he was subjected severeinbeating and the torture interrogainterrogators at the Counter-Narcotics Policetostation Gaza with aim by of extracting tors at the Counter-Narcotics Police station in Gaza with the aim of extracting confessions of drug confessions of drug abuse. Denying what was claimed by the victim, the MoI Controller abuse. Denying what said wasthat claimed by the victim, the MoI General thatany an investiGeneral an investigation committee wasController established, but did said not give details. gation committee was established, but did not give any details. The findings of the investigation The findings of the investigation remained unknown. The ICHR notes that most replies of remained unknown. The ICHR notesfor that most replies of to thetheagencies responsible vithe agencies responsible reported violations ICHR letters were notfor up reported to the mark. olations to the ICHR letters were not up to the mark. Without details being furnished, these replies Without details being furnished, these replies were unduly brief and denied facts. were unduly brief and denied facts. According to complaints, violation of children’s right to physical integrity was not only addressed in the context of criminal investigations. Other children were abused in care Seventh Report and 2021 homes of the Ministry of Social Development (MoSD) Twenty as well as inAnnual correction rehabilitation centres. In particular, these children were subjected to ill-treatment or cruel treatment by the he staff working in those institutions. A female inmate in the Care Home