Israeli Supreme Court rejects petition to shut prison where Palestinian was raped

The Israeli Supreme Court has rejected a request by civil society organisations to shut down the notorious Sde Teiman Prison, where aggravated human rights violations have been committed against Palestinian detainees.

The request came as part of a petition filed in May by the Association for Civil Rights, the Doctors for Human Rights, Gisha, Hamoked and the Committee Against Torture.

A statement by the Association for Civil Rights said the petition called for the immediate closure of the prison located in the Negev Desert in southern Israel, but the court rejected the closure request and instead warned the state that it must abide by the law in its treatment of Palestinian detainees there.

The association added in its statement: “In these difficult days, the Supreme Court is also required to issue rulings that should be obvious — that the state must abide by the law and is prohibited from abusing the detainees.”

It noted that since the beginning of the war on Gaza in October 2023, the detention facility has witnessed the detention of hundreds of Palestinians in deplorable conditions, with no beds or adequate shelter.

“Compelling evidence points to physical and psychological abuse [committed by Israeli soldiers], including tying the detainees’ hands in painful positions, performing surgeries without anaesthesia, leaving them blindfolded for long periods, beatings and severe medical neglect,” it added.

READ: Lawyer visits Israel’s ‘death camp’ and gives harrowing account of rape of Palestinian detainees  

Palestinian, Israeli and international human rights reports confirmed the existence of widespread cases of torture and violations against Palestinian detainees, all from Gaza, in the prison.

In late July 10 Israeli soldiers were arrested for abusing a Palestinian detainee from the Gaza Strip. Leaked footage showed the men taking the detainee to a side of a room and and hiding him as they raped him. He later died of his injuries.

After uproar from members of the Knesset and the Israeli public, some of the soldiers were released and on 13 August, a military court released the remaining five soldiers to house arrest.

Since the outbreak of the Israeli occupation war on Gaza on October 7, 2023, Israeli, Palestinian and international human rights organisations have spoken about the deteriorating conditions in Israeli prisons, especially in Sde Teiman.

In July Israel’s Attorney-General demanded Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu close the detention camp “immediately” following the rights groups’ petition.

Thousands of Palestinian civilians, including women, children, and health and civil defence workers have been arrested since 7 October. Imagines emerging from Gaza show them being rounded up, stripped to their underwear in public and taken away.

Over the past few months, the army has released dozens of Palestinian prisoners from Gaza in separate batches, most of whom suffered from deteriorating health conditions and bore signs of torture and medical neglect.