Children's Reviews
- The first opinion was given by a psychologist on behalf of the appellants, Enrique Mindlin, in support of the humanitarian request that was submitted while the appellants were still in detention, on August 30, 2019 (the humanitarian request was attached as Appendix 15 to the appeal, which was attached as Appendix A to the update notice on behalf of the appellants). This is a psychologist whose care the children were under even before their arrest as part of a volunteer program for the needy. Without violating their privacy, I will note that the psychologist is aware of the symptoms from which the child M. suffered even then, as well as the importance of the relationship of the child S. with the family that adopted the appellants. The psychologist added his opinion: "From my acquaintance with the children, I believe that they will suffer very serious damage in the event that they are deported from the country."
- A second opinion was attached to an internal appeal against the Authority's decision to reject the humanitarian request (appeal filed on 7 June 2020, Appendix 18 to the appeal attached to the update notice). This is an up-to-date psychological opinion by clinical and educational psychologist Dr. Daniella Cohen (Appendix 19 to the appeal). Daniella Cohen met with the children about six months after they were released from detention, on 27 February 2020. The girl S., who was almost 5 years old at the time, played and described it as follows: "The tiger drives away all the animals... The lion devours everyone... They died... They went to look for a home for them." Dr. Cohen expresses her opinion that: "In the game, it seems that it is important for her to feel that she belongs, part of a team. The strong need to feel part of a community does not succeed in protecting it from the horror of extinction, but there is also a degree of optimism to experience a secure future," and concludes that the experience of detention and the threat of deportation created a crack in her sense of belonging: "The crack created in her sense of belonging poses a risk to continued normal development."
Dr. Cohen's opinion is more serious regarding the boy M., who was about nine years old at the time: