Palestinian boy under house arrest

A Palestinian teenage boy has been sentenced to five-month house arrest on suspicion of hurling stones at Israeli soldiers in the occupied West Bank.

The 13-year-old Karem was detained in the city of al-Khalil (Hebron) in late September and spent six days in the Ofer Prison, Israeli website Ynet reported on Friday.

As a seventh grader, he has been placed under house arrest in his uncle’s home and cannot even go to school.

The boy told his family members that during his arrest he was handcuffed and chained and was sometimes left alone in a room or in solitary.

His grandfather said that the family is afraid to send Karem to the doctor due to the house arrest.

“If they decide that he violated the house arrest conditions, he may go to jail together with his uncle who signed the bail, and we don’t want to take the risk,” he noted.

“We hope this problem will be solved. He has been out of school for a month and a half now, and we are concerned. What has he done to deserve this punishment?”

Karem’s grandmother also stressed that his mental state has influenced his health.

“You can tell that he is afraid and frightened from his days in jail. He has fungus on his body and his skin has peeled from all the pressure, fear, and nerves. He barely talks. Today we looked for him and found him hiding in the chicken coop because he didn’t want to talk to anyone,” she said.