Al-Mezan Centre testifies before UN anti-torture committee

Palestine’s Al-Mezan Centre for Human Rights testified before a United Nations anti-torture committee on Thursday as part of the committee’s periodic review of Israel’s compliance with the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment and Punishment.

Al-Mezan and other NGOs, including Adalah and Physicians for Human Rights-Israel, submitted a joint NGO report to the committee and attended the review session in Geneva.

Speaking on behalf of Al-Mezan Centre via Skype from Amman, the Coordinator of the Field Research Unit Samir Zaqout reviewed the most prominent developments in the OPT since 1 July 2015.

Zaqout’s testimony addressed the impact of the Israeli siege on the Gaza Strip, pointing out that Rafah crossing, the enclave’s only land outlet to the outside world, has been open for only 22 days during the review period.

He also said that Israel uses the Beit Hanoun crossing as a “trap to arrest the Palestinians”.

Zaqout spoke about the issue of patients from the Gaza Strip being unable to reach Palestinian hospitals in the West Bank and East Jerusalem safely and freely, adding that  the health sector in the enclave is incapable of meeting the people’s needs.