The Palestinian child was released on bail but will have to appear before the military court in 10 days over stone throwing charges.
An Israeli court released on bail Palestinian teen Fawzi Junaidi, whose photo blindfolded and handcuffed as more than 20 Israeli soldiers arrested him went viral few weeks ago during protests over the U.S. decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, Middle East Eye website reported Wednesday.
The 16-year-old had been in detention for 20 days before the judge allowed his release for a bail payment of US$3,000. However, he would have to appear before the court on Jan. 7 over “stone-throwing” charges. Junaidi, a minor and a civilian, is being tried in an Israeli military court.
According to MEE, the Palestinian teen told his lawyer, Farah Bayadsi from Defence for Children International, a non-profit organization that advocates for children rights, that he was running away from Israeli tear gas in a street in Hebron city to his aunt’s house, when Israeli soldiers hiding between buildings arrested him.
“The soldiers attacked me and beat me on the head, back, shoulders and chest. They continued beating me for a few minutes with their boots and their rifles’ butts,” Junaidi said according to local news outlets.
“Then they blindfolded me and handcuffed me with a nylon cable tie and continued to step on me and beat me. My body and face were on the ground.” The kid continued to bleed from his lip until he was brought to a room at a nearby checkpoint where the soldiers began to beat him again, he told reporters.
The news comes just few days after another Israeli court extended the detention of Ahed Tamimi, another 16-year-old Palestinian teen, who was arrested 10 days ago and has been charged with “assaulting a soldier and an IDF officer” after a video of her slapping and kicking an Israeli soldier went viral.
She attacked the Israeli soldier, who was in her home’s yard, right after he had shot her 14-year-old cousin who remains in intensive care.
Tamimi has been a familiar face in local and international media for few years as she has established herself as an activist against Israeli settler and occupation in the West Bank Palestinian village of Nabi Saleh. Her detention attracted international media attention.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian Prisoner’s Society said Tuesday that the number of Palestinians arrested by Israeli forces since the U.S. administration’s decision regarding Jerusalem on Dec. 6 stood at 610, including 170 children and 12 women.
In 2015 the right-wing Israeli government approved a law that would allow prosecutors to seek up to 20 years sentences against stone throwers. In 2016 the Israeli government also approved a law allowing the prosecution of children as young as 12 for serious crimes including stone throwing.
This article originally appeared on Telesur.
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