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<font size=3><br>
</font><tt>Report: 90% of Palestinian detainees were
Tortured <br>
Saed Bannoura, IMEMC & Agencies - Saturday, 25 June 2005,
15:05 <br><br>
The Palestinian Prisoners Society published Friday a report, saying <br>
that 90% of the Palestinian prisoners were tortured in Israeli <br>
prisons, and that interrogators are using "New and inhuman
methods" <br>
against them. <br><br>
June 26th marks the International Day Against Torture, yet it passes
<br>
while the Palestinian people undergo wide-scaled arrests, and <br>
continuous violations in Israeli prisons, and in the Palestinian <br>
territories.<br><br>
"Army violence against the Palestinian detainees is not new or <br>
unique to the current Intifada. What is unique though is the <br>
increase in the numbers and forms of abuse. Torture has exceeded
<br>
being limited to severe treatment, physical and psychological <br>
pressure in interrogation cells, to threats of rape to force the <br>
detainees to admit the charges against them or to provide <br>
information about residents", the PPS reported. <br><br>
Also, the society stated that dozens of child detainees told the <br>
lawyers of the society that soldiers sexually harassed them, and <br>
threatened to rape them if they do not "confess" to the charges
<br>
filed against them. <br><br>
Another sort of abuse and humiliation in Israeli prisons is the <br>
usage of military dogs to attack the detainees. <br><br>
This method was used in Keryat Arba' detention facility against the <br>
Palestinian detainees, who were attacked by the fierce dogs. <br><br>
"Torture is now also practiced while the detainees are being <br>
transferred to detention stations after arresting them from their <br>
homes, it includes severe beating, threats, curses, and <br>
degradation", the society stated.<br><br>
Detainee Ramzi Salah, 28 years old from al-Khader village, near <br>
Bethlehem, was severely beaten and dragged out of his home; soldiers
<br>
kept beating him while he was being transferred to a detention <br>
facility; the torture Salah was subjected to led to fracture in his <br>
spine. <br><br>
Also, detainee Umran Abu Hamdeyeh, 17, from Hebron, was severely <br>
beaten when he was arrested on December 30, 2002, and sustained <br>
internal bleeding which eventually led to his death. <br>
<br>
Medical neglect and failing to provide the detainees with the needed
<br>
dedications, especially the injured prisoners, made them confess to <br>
the charges filed against them, in order to receive medical <br>
treatment. <br><br>
Prison authorities are using medical care as a means to blackmail <br>
prisoners to give information. An example to this method is the
<br>
case of the detainee Maher Ali al-Ra'y from Qalqilia, who had to <br>
bargain the interrogators in order to receive medical treatment to <br>
his injured arm. <br><br>
Human rights organizations and lawyers of the PPS revealed that 90% <br>
of Palestinian prisoners are subjected to methods that constitute <br>
torture and direct harsh violence. <br><br>
Threats of rape, curses and degradation forms of torture are used <br>
mainly against female detainees. <br><br>
Detainee Rawya As'ad Mousa, 18, from Tulkarem, said that soldiers <br>
attacked her and pulled her head veil, then verbally abused her, <br>
using offensive and degrading language. <br><br>
Also, soldiers threatened detainee Zakiyya Oweidah, 48 from <br>
Qalqilia, to kill her children if she does not confess to the <br>
charges against her; she was also denied medication in spite that <br>
the army knows that she is suffering from a blood disease. <br><br>
In many cases, mothers, wives and sisters were imprisoned and kept <br>
in settlement detention stations for several hours and sometimes for
<br>
several days, as a means to pressure wanted family member hand <br>
themselves to the army. <br><br>
"Israel violated all international laws and conventions that <br>
prohibit torture and other cruel, Inhuman and degrading Treatment or
<br>
Punishment, especially the Third Geneva Convention regarding to <br>
Prisoners of War", the PPS reported. <br><br>
Also, the PPS added that Israel is the only state in the world that <br>
legalized torture and in spite that using torture during <br>
interrogation was outlawed in 1999 by the Israeli High Court of <br>
Justice; the Israeli General Security Service continued suing it <br>
under the pretext of "fighting terrorism". <br><br>
Israeli interrogators get special permits to use torture methods <br>
form the State's Legal Advisor and the High Court which <br>
provides "legal protection" to their illegal acts.<br><br>
190 prisoners died in Israeli prisons since 1967 as a result of <br>
torture or medical negligence. Many released prisoners are still
<br>
suffering from physical and psychological problems. <br><br>
The society appealed that international community and the UN to take
<br>
their responsibilities, and ensure legal and human protection to the
<br>
Palestinian detainees. <br><br>
Currently, there are 350 child detainees between the ages of 13 and <br>
18 years old, still imprisoned in Israeli detentions. Many of them
<br>
were exposed to various levels of torture, humiliation and inhumane <br>
treatment.<br><br>
Child detainees, like other Palestinian prisoners, are led to <br>
detention centers where severe methods of interrogation are used <br>
against them and then put to trial before military courts.<br>
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