הוועד הציבורי נגד עינויים בישראל

The High Court of Justice today issued an interim decision ordering the State to immediately notify the detainees at the “Shomron” (Huwara) detention facility concerning a new regulation allowing them free access to toilet facilities at all hours of the day.

Torture and Ill-treatment of Palestinian Detainees during Arrest, Detention and Interrogation
September 2001 – April 2003

PCATI's lawyers Elihu Abram and Feda Kuwar, demand for immediate improvement of the conditions of detention in the cells of the military courts.

On 21 November 2007, PCATI attorney, Yaara Kalmanowitz, submitted letters of complaint to the Israel Police and the Israel Prison Service (IPS) on behalf of PCATI and Adalah-The Legal Center for Arab Minority in Israel concerning excessive violence during a search operation by Israel Prison Service units on tents housing security prisoners at the Ketziot Detention Facility which led to the injury of a large number of inmates and the death of the prisoner, Mohamad El-Ashkar.

petition filed by PCATI on behalf of three detainees who had been held at the “Shomron” detention facility demanding that the respondents reply why they do not allow detainees being held at the facility free access to toilet facilities at all time and why they should not build additional toilets in the yard, near the detention cells, that would guarantee proper sanitary conditions.

At a hearing held on 13 February 2008, the commander of the detention facility told the Court that arrangements had been made to ensure that the request of any detainee to go to the toilet will be met immediately at all times. The respondents’ attorney added that should any problem arise, each detainee would have the right to turn to the detention facility commander regarding the matter.

By Dan Izenberg for "The Jerusalem Post" - Front

From "Scoop" World - Independent News

The law allows for the arrest of suspects for long periods without any judicial oversight, for deliberations to take place in their absence, and for the decision to extend their detention to be concealed from them

5 prisoners, their relatives and 10 Israeli and Palestinian human rights organizations petitioned the Supreme Court calling for the immediate renewal of the visits.

The report, published this morning, reveals the widespread phenomenon of violence against bound Palestinian detainees by IDF soldiers and the almost absolute indifference of the IDF, the Ministry of Defense and the Knesset towards the existence of this phenomenon and the need to take action in order to eradicate it completely.

The petition, filed in March 2008, demands the annulment of a law which severely violates the basic rights of detainees suspected of security offences.

Seven Israeli Human Rights Organizations:
Israel held many Gaza prisoners in harsh and humiliating conditions and threatened their lives and their health

By Yotam Feldman, Haaretz newspaper

Seven human rights organizations based in Israel presented a report to the UN Fact-Finding team investigating allegations of war crimes during “Operation Cast Lead” in Gaza, led by Justice Richard Goldstone.

PCATI Attorney Majd Bader was invited to the United Nations in Geneva to testify before the Goldstone Commission.

Two articles by Amira Hass from Ha'aretz newspaper, based on testimonies and affidavits collected by PCATI.

With the publication of the Goldstone Committee report today, human rights organizations in Israel are studying the report and its conclusions, and they call upon the Israeli Government to take the report seriously and to refrain from automatically rejecting its findings or denying its legitimacy.

Following a petition filed by the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel (PCATI) to the High court of Justice, the State announced this week that it has begun building a new detention complex next to the Ofer Camp military courts (near Ramallah) that will replace the present facility.

The army's policy change is the result of PCATI's long-term legal and
public advocacy efforts against IDF use of paiful shackling methods
against detainees arrested in the Palestinian Territory. 

PCATI and Adalah's New Report on Treatment of Palestinian (Gazan) Detainees during Cast Lead:Torture, Ill Treatment and Human Shields
A Special Report on "Cast Lead": Israel Used Palestinian Detainees as Human Shields
Testimonies Gathered by the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel and by Adalah Reveal that the Israeli Army Deliberately Violated Palestinian Detainees' Rights through "Legal Black Holes"

A new report from the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel exposes:
ISA illegal & systematically prevents Palestinian detainees from meeting with an attorney
Comprehensive study of thousands of Palestinian detainees done in conjunction with   a Palestinian prisoners' rights organization reveals sweeping ISA prevention of detainee meetings with a lawyer during lengthy interrogations

The public committee Against Torture in Israel and Physicians for Human Rights reveal today a new and pioneering report about the involvement of Israeli medical personal in torture and abuse of interrogates and detainees.

The full report attached

A new report by the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel (PCATI) and Physicians for Human Rights – Israel (PHR) based on over 100 complaints reveals that medical professionals are involved in torture and in covering it up, in violation of ethical obligations.