Middle East war
Prisoners in diapers: UN criticizes Israel
The UN Human Rights Office assumes that thousands of Palestinians are or have been held by Israel. (Symbolic image) photo
© Hussein Malla/AP/dpa
Serious allegations against Israel regarding its treatment of Palestinian prisoners: “They were disturbed.” Released people report their experiences to the UN Human Rights Office.
Sunghay spoke to reporters in Geneva via video link from the Gaza Strip. The number of those arrested is unclear, he said. The UN Human Rights Office assumes that thousands of Palestinians are or have been held by Israel.
When asked, the Israeli army said it adheres to international law when making prisoners. It is often necessary for terrorist suspects to hand over their clothing to rule out the possibility that explosives or other weapons are hidden in it. The items of clothing would be returned to those arrested as soon as possible.
Shower once in 55 days
A released man told him that he was only allowed to shower once in 55 days, said Sunghay. Everyone reported that they were blindfolded, sometimes for days. Many said they were taken to Israel. They had no contact with their families or lawyers.
Israel has a duty to treat the men with respect, Sungahay said. The men should either be charged or released. “All cases of ill-treatment or torture of those arrested or detained must be fully and transparently investigated,” Sunghay said. “If they are found to have taken place, measures must be taken to find those responsible and prevent recurrences. The victims and their families have the right to truth, justice and reparation.”
Sunghay also referred to the precarious situation of the more than a million Palestinians who have been living under bombardment and rocket fire for weeks, as well as the more than 100 of the more than 240 hostages kidnapped by terrorists from Israel on October 7 who have experienced the same thing Palestinians.