Attempts to take PA to international courts over allegations of torture

Palestinian rights group Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association accused last week the Palestinian Authority (PA) of torturing political prisoners, Quds Press reported yesterday.

Director of Addameer Sahar Francis told Quds Press that: “Torture and violations against political prisoners during detention and interrogation was proved.”

Describing the forms of torture, she said: “The prisoners are placed in very painful positions. Then, they are hit and insulted and their screaming is heard. They [PA security services] use well-known torture methods, which contradict the anti-torture agreement the PA has become a member of.”

Francis said that the period between 2005 and 2009 witnessed the “most violent” torture against prisoners, when four prisoners died. She said that there was no question regarding the torture. Adding that cases of torture decreased after 2009 but are still prevalent.

Addameer recently filed a complaint against the PA to the UN anti-torture commission after the PA joined the international agreements.

University student Salam Al-Araouri, 23, told Quds Press that he was arrested in Ramadan, one and half a months ago, and he was severely tortured. “While blindfolded, I was hit all over my body and I was hit severely in my head until I became unconscious. This happened to me three times,” he added.

Other former prisoners narrated similar stories.

The Arab Organisation for Human Rights, based in London, described the headquarters of the PA intelligence services in Bethlehem as a “slaughter house” used for torturing prisoners.

It called for the UN secretary-general and the ICC prosecutor to dispatch teams to visit PA prisons, mainly the headquarters of the intelligence services in Bethlehem, Jericho and Nablus in order to investigate the daily crimes committed there.

The PA denies accusations of torture. No PA official could be contacted for comment.