Israel sentences 12-year-old girl to jail

Israel sentences 12-year-old girl to jail
Dima al-Wawi has been sentenced to four and a half months in prison, making her the youngest Palestinian female prisoner on record.
2 min read
19 February, 2016
Dima was arrested earlier this month as she made her way to school [twitter]
The Israeli supreme court of Thursday sentenced 12-year-old Dima al-Wawi from the West Bank to more than four months imprisonment and a fine of 2,000 dollars.

Ismail al-Wawi, Dima's father, told the New Arab that the Israeli court issued the verdict on Thursday, near Ofer prison where the youngster is currently being held, west of Ramallah.

Israeli occupation forces arrested al-Wawi on February 9 for allegedly carrying a knife in her school bag, as she was heading to school in her uniform near the town of Beit Ummar, a little north of Hebron.

The ruling makes her the youngest female Palestinian prisoner recorded in Israel.

According to a Human Rights Watch [HRW] report released last year, Israeli security forces have used unnecessary force to arrest or detain Palestinian children as young as 11.

"Israeli forces' mistreatment of Palestinian children is at odds with its claim to respect children's rights," said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at HRW at the time.

Around 6000 Palestinian children have been detained by Isaeli forces between 2010 and 2015.