Shadows of Oppression: Israel’s Detention and Torture of Palestinians in OPT and Israel
Side event at the 55th Session of the Human Rights Council, Geneva
- Date and Time: Monday, 25 March 2024, 13:00-14:00
- Location: Palais des Nations, Geneva (Room XXV)
- Organized by: SHAMS, Law for Palestine, Addammer, PCHR, Dignity, Adalah, and Palestinian Prisoner’s Society.
Join us for a panel discussion shedding light on Israel’s detention policies and practices concerning Palestinians in the West Bank, Gaza, and Israel.
Amidst the ongoing atrocities in Gaza that plausibly amount to genocide, according to the International Court of Justice, Israel’s widespread detention of Gazans has sparked grave human rights concerns, including reports of torture. The OHCHR’s report, presented at the current Session of the Human Rights Council, details disturbing accounts of Israeli security forces’ arrests post-7 October, often accompanied by beatings, ill-treatment, and humiliation of individuals, including acts of sexual assault. UN Special Rapporteurs have also sounded alarms regarding reports of sexual assault against women and girls in detention, with at least two female Palestinian detainees reportedly subjected to rape, while others faced threats of sexual violence. Shockingly, a recent investigation by the Israeli newspaper Ha’aretz uncovered that 27 Gazan detainees have died in custody at Israeli military facilities since the onset of the war 5 months ago.
In the occupied West Bank, the use of administrative detention orders by Israel has surged since the offensive in Gaza. A report by Addameer, released on 23rd January 2024, highlights the systematic intensification of Israel’s violations post-October 7, 2023, including arbitrary detention. Testimonies from the Palestinian Prisoner’s Society further confirm the harrowing reality of torture and abuse experienced by various individuals, including minors, journalists, and activists.
In a related context, Adalah reported that since the recent escalation in Gaza, Palestinian citizens of Israel, as well as some Jewish Israelis who oppose Israel’s war crimes in Gaza, have experienced a severe crackdown on freedom of speech. Adalah documented arrests related to social media posts and demonstrations, undertaken with brutal force and without proper legal justification, indicating a concerted effort to politically persecute Palestinian citizens of Israel.
On this basis, we invite you to participate with us and attend this critical side event at the Human Rights Council, featuring experts from prominent organizations in the field. The event aims to sound the alarm regarding the situation of Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons, military camps, and other detention facilities, whether they are from Gaza, the West Bank and Jerusalem, or those holding Israeli citizenship within the Green Line.
Speakers:
- Amal Faqih: Executive Director of Human Rights and Democracy Media Centers SHAMS
- Abdullah Al-Zaghari: Head of the Palestinian Prisoner’s Society
- Basel Alsourani: International Advocacy Officer, Palestinian Centre for Human Rights
- Tala Nasir: Human rights lawyer at Addameer for prisoner Support and Human Rights Association.
- Nareman Shehadeh Zoabi: Palestinian Attorney in Israel, Civil Political Rights Unit at Adalah Legal Center
- Natacha Bracq: Legal Advisor at Dignity
Moderator:
- Ghada Alrayan, Human Rights Council Coordinator – Law for Palestine
