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UN PhotoOHCHR / PALESTINIAN DETAINEES
STORY: OHCHR / PALESTINIAN DETAINEES
TRT: 03:42
SOURCE: OHCHR
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 31 JULY 2024 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND / FILE
FILE - GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
1. Various shots, exterior, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
31 JULY 2024 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
SHOTLIST:
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Jeremy Laurence, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): “Today, the UN Human Rights Office is publishing a report on arbitrary, prolonged and incommunicado detention by Israeli authorities, affecting thousands of Palestinians since last October. The report also covers allegations of torture and other forms of cruel, inhumane, and degrading treatment, including sexual abuse of women and men.
Since 7 October, thousands of Palestinians - including medical staff, patients and residents fleeing the conflict, as well as captured fighters - have been taken from Gaza to Israel.
Thousands more have been detained in the West Bank and Israel. They have generally been held in secret, without being given a reason for their detention, access to a lawyer or effective judicial review.
Detainees say they have been held in cage-like facilities, stripped naked for prolonged periods, wearing only diapers. They tell of prolonged blindfolding, deprivation of food, sleep, and water, and being subjected to electric shocks and being burnt with cigarettes. Some detainees say dogs were released on them, and others say they were subjected to waterboarding, or that their hands were tied, and they were suspended from the ceiling. Some women and men also spoke of sexual and gender-based violence.
Accounts of hostages taken by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups last October also describe appalling conditions of captivity, including lack of food, water and poor sanitary conditions, and lack of fresh air and sunlight. There were also reports of sexual and gender-based violence in captivity.
In addition, the report criticises the Palestinian Authority for continuing to carry out arbitrary detention and torture or other ill-treatment in the West Bank, reportedly to suppress criticism and political opposition.
International law requires that all those deprived of their liberty be treated with humanity and dignity, and it strictly prohibits torture or other ill-treatment, including rape and other forms of sexual violence. Secret, prolonged incommunicado detention may also amount to a form of torture.
The High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, reiterates his call for the immediate release of all hostages still held in Gaza. All Palestinians arbitrarily detained by Israel must be released.
The High Commissioner also calls for prompt, thorough, independent, impartial, and transparent investigations into all incidents that have led to serious violations of international law; ensure that perpetrators are held accountable and that all victims and their families are provided with their right to remedy and reparations.”
The UN Human Rights Office today (31 Jul), published a report on arbitrary, prolonged, and incommunicado detention by Israeli authorities, affecting thousands of Palestinians since last October. The report also covers allegations of torture and other forms of cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, including sexual abuse of women and men.
Since 7 October, thousands of Palestinians - including medical staff, patients and residents fleeing the conflict, as well as captured fighters - have been taken from Gaza to Israel, said Jeremy Laurence, UN Human Rights Office spokesperson.
“Thousands more have been detained in the West Bank and Israel. They have generally been held in secret, without being given a reason for their detention, access to a lawyer or effective judicial review,” Laurence added.
Detainees say they have been held in cage-like facilities, stripped naked for prolonged periods, wearing only diapers, he said.
“They tell of prolonged blindfolding, deprivation of food, sleep and water, and being subjected to electric shocks and being burnt with cigarettes. Some detainees say dogs were released on them, and others say they were subjected to waterboarding, or that their hands were tied, and they were suspended from the ceiling. Some women and men also spoke of sexual and gender-based violence,” the spokesperson added.
Laurence also said accounts of hostages taken by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups last October also describe appalling conditions of captivity, including lack of food, water and poor sanitary conditions, and lack of fresh air and sunlight. “There were also reports of sexual and gender-based violence in captivity.”
The report also criticises the Palestinian Authority for continuing to carry out arbitrary detention and torture or other ill-treatment in the West Bank, reportedly to suppress criticism and political opposition.
“International law requires that all those deprived of their liberty be treated with humanity and dignity, and it strictly prohibits torture or other ill-treatment, including rape and other forms of sexual violence,” Laurence said. “Secret, prolonged incommunicado detention may also amount to a form of torture.”
He reiterated the call by UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk for the immediate release of all hostages still held in Gaza, as well as all Palestinians arbitrarily detained by Israel.
“The High Commissioner also calls for prompt, thorough, independent, impartial and transparent investigations into all incidents that have led to serious violations of international law; ensure that perpetrators are held accountable and that all victims and their families are provided with their right to remedy and reparations,” Laurence said.
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