Israel accused of prisoner abusePrint
Israel
Written by Chris Perver  
Saturday, 05 May 2007 17:00

Israeli human rights organizations, B'Tselem and the HaMoked Centre for the Defence of the Individual, have published a report decrying what they call the systematic abuse of Palestinian prisoners by the Israeli security services. The two organizations interviewed over 70 Palestinian prisoners over a six month period. 

Quote: "In a report based on the testimonies of 73 Palestinians from the occupied West Bank detained between July 2005 and January 2006, the groups said the Shin Bet security service employs a seven-step "interrogation system". The methods for trying to extract information include solitary confinement "in putrid, stifling cells", the painful binding of a detainee's hands and feet to a chair, sleep disturbance and cursing and humiliation, the report said. Such practices, the groups said, constitute "ill-treatment" under international law and violate an Israeli Supreme Court ban against interrogation methods aimed at breaking a detainee's spirit.

The Israeli Ministry of Justice rejected the findings of the report, stating the claims were groundless and inaccurate. The article says that Israel's Supreme Court has permitted Shin Bet, the Israeli security service, to use extreme pressure on prisoners if they believe that they have information of an imminent terrorist attack. The Ministry of Justice has stated such information has in the past saved many lives. 

What really angers me about this article is that Israeli security services are trying to save lives, while the organizations that say they are protecting Palestinian human rights seem to be doing absolutely nothing about Palestinians who are caught collaborating with Israel, also trying to save lives. Why don't they try interviewing some of them, to find out how they were treated by their own government? Or maybe they can't, because they're all dead. This following article appeared on YNet News yesterday.

Quote: "A senior member of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades told Ynet Saturday that "Rezawei told us he and the Shin Bet tried to recruit a woman for a suicide bombing a few months ago. Following that attempt, a few arrests were made of people who were supposed to be a part of that organization." Rezawei was also named in an official indictment filed in Israel, after which he was asked to approach several Brigade members. "After his confession, we executed him and turned the other defendant to the authorities for interrogation" said the Al-Aqsa senior member.

He was shot in the head by President Abbas' Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade. That was dignified, compared to some of the following images. WARNING: These images are disturbing.  

Source Reuters, YNet News, Middle East Facts

Share