10,000 Israeli soldiersjailed for deserting army

Some 10,000 soldiers were jailed for going deserting the Israeli army in 2013, according to Haaretz.

Most individuals currently serving time in military prisons aren’t criminals, but rather deserters or soldiers classified as undisciplined, the daily said.

Only a few percent – between six and seven percent a year – have been convicted for actual crimes.

On average, some 22,000 soldiers are sent to military jails every year, 13,000 of whom are sent to prison bases and other “holding rooms” built to offset the lack of jails.

These facilities are meant for those sentenced to 28 days or less for nonviolent offenses.

According to Israeli Military Police data, over 400 incidents have occurred in military jails, including attempts to mutiny, escape attempts and incidents of violence.

The most memorable of these was a mutiny that took place in August 1997 at Military Prison 6, when prisoners held their commanders captive to protest the poor prison conditions.