The Independent Commission for Human Rights (ICHR) | Shadow report
treatment. However, reported figures continue to be much less than the
number of relevant complaints/claims filed to the ICHR on an annual basis.
The report indicates that affected persons can lodge complaints to many
agencies, including the ICHR. It states that these agencies received a number of
claims of torture and other forms of cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment
from the ICHR against some law enforcement personnel. However, the number
of complaints allegedly forwarded by the ICHR (14 in 2017 and none in 20142016) is so different from the true figures demonstrated by the ICHR annual
reports. Even though some were unsatisfactory to the ICHR, replies on a
significant portion of complaints were provided by the security agencies, to
which these complaints had been forwarded.
In 2016-2021, the ICHR received complaints from victims of torture, including at
least 4,279 claims of torture and other forms of cruel, inhuman and degrading
treatment, in both the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. These claims break down
by year as follows: 865 in 2016, 898 in 2017, 676 in 2018, 692 in 2019, 410 in
2020, and 738 in 2021.
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Claims to torture and maltreatment affecting children in 2016-2021
In 2016-2021, a total of 505 claims of torture and other forms of cruel, inhuman
and degrading treatment were filed by children, representing 12 percent of
all claims made to the ICHR in this regard. These claims were distributed by
year as follows: 113 in in 2016, 120 in 2017, 60 in 2018, 98 in 2019, 26 in 2020,
and 88 in 2021.
Children subjected to torture or maltreatment were detained against multiple
backgrounds, mainly, theft, letting off fireworks, drug abuse, hacking of
Facebook accounts, and murder. Claims of torture involved all security agencies,
particularly the Preventive Security, Police, General Intelligence, Military Police,
Internal Security, and juvenile welfare institutions. Patterns of torture inflicted
on children included physical and psychological abuse, torture, threats during
detention, and other forms of cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment.
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Claims to torture and maltreatment affecting women in 2016-2021
In 2016-2021, at least (9%) percent of all claims of torture and other forms of
cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment were filed by women. These claims
broke down by year as follows: 84 in in 2016, 65 in 2017, 72 in 2018, 43 in
2019, 42 in 2020, and 86 in 2021.
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