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Mohammed Al-Zalbani 15 y/o sentenced to 18 years in detention

Original Social Media Post

"The child, Basel Zalbani, from Shuafat refugee camp in occupied Jerusalem, was arrested two years ago by Israeli forces and accused of “causing the death of an Israeli soldier.” During his detention, he was subjected to harsh interrogations and difficult conditions before being transferred to a juvenile institution due to his young age. Two weeks ago, after turning 15, he was moved to Damon Prison. Today, he was sentenced to 18 years in prison and fined 250,000 shekels (approximately $70,000). الطفل باسل زلباني من مخيم شعفاط بالقدس المحتلة، اعتقل قبل عامين من قبل قوات الاحتلال واتهم “بالتسبب بمقتل جندي اسرائيلي” وتعرض خلال الاعتقال لتحقيقات قاسية وظروف صعب قبل تحويله إلى معهد داخلي لصغر سنه، وهي مؤسسة للقاصرين بالسجن. قبل أسبوعين نقل الى سجن الدامون بعد بلوغه 15 عاما واليوم حكم بالسجن الفعلي لمدة 18 عاما وغرامة بقيمة 250,000 شيكل ( 70,000 دولار أمريكي تقريبا)" - Source

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Event Notes

Unfair arrest and condemnation of child Mohammed Zalbani

On February 17, Israel has sentenced 15-year-old child Mohammad Basil al-Zalbani, from Shuafat refugee camp in occupied East Jerusalem, to 18 years in prison and fined him 250,000 shekels (or to pay 300,000 shekels ($83,333) in compensation according to Palestinian Prisoner Society)

Arrested at 13, he has been detained since Feb 2023. Israel accuses him of involvement in a soldier's death. His family's home was also demolished in November 2023.

Palestinian Prisoner Society said Zalbani was arrested on Feb. 13, 2023, on charges of resisting the Israeli occupation. The boy, who has been detained for 2 years, was charged with the killing of an Israeli soldier. Zalbani was accused of involvement in the killing of an Israeli soldier at a checkpoint in the Shu’fat camp in 2023. However, the soldier was killed by his colleague's gunfire, and not by Zalbani.

The Jerusalem District Court also ordered Mohammed Basel Zalbani, from the Shu’fat refugee camp, east of occupied East Jerusalem, to pay 300,000 shekels ($83,333) in compensation, the Palestinian Prisoner Society said in a statement.

"The court convicted Muhammad Zalbani, who was 13 years old at the time, of aggravated murder for stabbing Staff Sgt. Asil Sawaed, 22 at a checkpoint near the Shuafat refugee camp."

In Augustus 2023, Amnesty International has condemned Israel’s “punitive” demolition of Palestinian child detainee’s home, stressing he is being punished for a fault he did not commit. In a report the rights group said that the Israeli Supreme Court had approved “the punitive demolition of the family home of a 13-year-old Palestinian boy who has spent the past six months in pre-trial detention on unfair charges.”

“In February 2023, Mohammed Zalabani stabbed an Israeli border police officer on a bus at a checkpoint in the Shu’afat refugee camp in occupied East Jerusalem. He was overpowered, but moments later a private Israeli security guard accidentally shot the officer dead.”

According to Amnesty, the autopsy confirmed that the Israeli officer was not killed by the Palestinian child, who was charged with his murder, and is now awaiting trial in a juvenile facility.

The details for each video come from social media. None of it has been verified.