Fares: “Attacks and humiliations against detainees exceed organized gang crime” 

 

 February 16, 2024 

 

 The head of the Commission of Detainees’ Affairs, Qaddura Fares, affirmed that the suffering faced by detainees in Israeli jails has exceeded organized crimes of gangs, as the Israeli officers and jailers have their own decisions on dealing with detainees and are able to use torture and field executions against them. His statements came during a meeting with the British Attorney General, Ms. Victoria Prentis, HM Consul General Ms. Diane Corner, Deputy General Doug Wison and the Political Consul Ms. Annabel Mitchell, where he briefed the delegation on the crimes committed against detainees in Israeli prisons which have became cemeteries for alive persons. Fares stated “the current aggression whether against Palestinians in general or detainees in particular, is an exceptional aggression based on Israeli-American political and military support, as well as deterrent, retaliatory and racist aims, as we believe that there is a second Nakba on the horizon, that has been implemented in Gaza aiming at deporting and displacing people to neighboring states “. Fares added: “the inhumane and unethical treatment against detainees forced us to live the most difficult time in the history of the Captive Movement, as the IPS pursued a series of punitive measures in the last four months, represented in breaking into houses, exploding doors, destroying house belongings, using excessive force and beat and field interrogation. Moreover, retaliatory measures continued during detention as the IPS reduced the quantity of food, confiscated electronic devices from sections, prevented detainees from going to the prison’s courtyard, closed the canteen and implemented daily attacks and intensive beat against detainees”. Fares said the International Community must hold full responsibility about the suffering of Palestinian people and detainees, indicating that more than (7000) arrest cases have been recorded since October 7, in addition to hundreds from Gaza Strip, whom we don’t have any information on, asserting that the international and organizational official silence has led to this stage”.

 

90% of Etzion detainees have been exposed to torture and beating

 

 February 20, 2024

 

 Based on statistics by the Commission of Detainees’ Affairs, and the commission’ lawyer visit to Etzion interrogation and detention center, it has been confirmed that 90% of detainees were exposed to severe beating and torture during the arrest process until arrival at the place of detention. The lawyer of the commission described the situation there as miserable, where detainees suffer from the overcrowding, as the majority of them sleep on the ground due to lack of beds and mattresses. They also can’t close the window as it is made of iron grids, which make rooms very cold. Jailers intended to knock on the doors at night to prevent detainees from sleeping, and sometimes they get them outside the rooms keeping them in the prison’s courtyard without any justification and without taking into account their health conditions, as the IPS pursued ignoring their health conditions since the beginning of war on Gaza in the 7th of October. It is worth noting that the Israeli authorities intended to sentence most detainees with administrative detention, without holding sessions and even without informing them of this procedure.