A call to immediate action to halt war
crimes against Palestinian prisoners
(Witness): An appeal to States Parties to
the Geneva conventions
The Palestinian Association for Human
Rights (Witness) sends a human rights memorandum to the diplomatic missions of
the states parties to the Third and Fourth Geneva Conventions on Thursday, June
6, 2024. The memo calls for an urgent meeting to discuss the serious violations
perpetrated by the Israeli occupation forces against Palestinian prisoners in
their prisons.
(Witness) expresses its grave concern
regarding testimonies of released detainees from Gaza Strip reporting physical
and psychological abuse, degrading treatment, and death by torture they have
been subjected to. Since the beginning of the Israeli aggression against Gaza
Strip on October 7,2023, the occupation forces have launched a large-scale
campaign of detentions which has intensified after the ground incursion, rising
the number of detainees to 9,500, including 3660 administrative detentions and
320 women and children.
The memo indicates that detainees are held
in a military camp known as "Sdeh Teiman" between Beersheba and Gaza.
It notes that the actual number of prisoners and their locations remain
unknown. Furthermore, it explains that recent legislative amendments by the
occupation have bestowed broad powers that allow the detention of individuals
for prolonged periods without trial and legal consultation. These actions are
in clear violation of international law and constitute war crimes.
The memo highlights appalling testimonies
of torture and harsh treatment endured by the detainees, including torture
resulting in death, humiliating treatment extending to sexual abuse, and
inadequate healthcare leading to amputations for some prisoners. It also
affirms that these violations constitute compelling evidence of the commission
of war crimes and crimes against humanity against Palestinian prisoners.
The memo calls upon the parties to the
Geneva Conventions to take immediate action to convene an urgent meeting to
address these violations and work towards their cessation. It urges the
establishment of independent international oversight in Israeli prisons and the
formation of a UN investigative committee to monitor the conditions of
prisoners, reveal their identities and places of detention, and facilitate the
repatriation of the bodies of victims who died under torture.
(Witness) stresses the urgent need for
immediate action to save the lives of thousands of prisoners and detainees,
ensuring their protection in accordance with international standards, and
putting an end to these escalating violations.
The Palestinian Association for Human
Rights (Witness)