Specialists call for protecting juveniles and establishing a police force dedicated to juveniles in Gaza

Gaza, Publication and Information Unit:

Specialists and officials called for developing the ways of working with juveniles, children in conflict with the law, for reducing violations against juveniles during trials and investigations, and for moving towards comprehensive justice for all juveniles in the Gaza Strip.

These calls came during a working meeting organised yesterday by the Palestinian Center for Democracy and Conflict Resolution within the juvenile justice project, to discuss developing the ways of working with juveniles. The meeting was held at the Centre's main premises and attended by representatives of the government, civil society, the Centre's legal department and reconciliation figures.

At the start of the meeting, the coordinator of the juvenile justice project, lawyer Ahmed Al-Masri, set out the need to join efforts between governmental and non-official organisations in order to provide juveniles with suitable support and services in accordance with the provisions of the law. He explained that the coming months will see the Palestinian Center for Conflict Resolution intensify its events supporting juveniles' rights and establishing new and improved methods for their benefit.

In the public prosecution's address, Ali Khella, representing the attorney general's office, said: "The violations committed against minors who breach the law are caused by the failure to apply clear policies for dealing with juveniles in the Gaza governorates." He called for repealing the juvenile offenders law, for moving quickly to apply the draft juvenile reform law, and for unifying the age of juveniles across the various laws in line with the age set by the Palestinian Child Law.

For his part, the director of political and moral guidance at the Palestinian police, Colonel Mohammed Al-Jreisi, pointed to some individual breaches by certain police officers in mistreating juveniles, and said the Palestinian police are rehabilitating the members who breach the rules so that juveniles are treated well. He added: "I hope an official letter will be addressed to the minister of interior calling on him to dedicate a police force to following up juvenile files away from adult trials."

For his part, the director general of the social defence department at the Ministry of Social Affairs, Ismail Tanira, called for removing the obstacles probation officers face in dealing with juveniles and for pressing to form a court and prosecution office dedicated to juveniles that suit their ages and their difficult circumstances. He stressed that the process of following up juveniles requires forming a committee made up of the police, the judiciary, the prosecution, the Ministry of Social Affairs and reconciliation figures in order to resolve all the problems facing juveniles.