NEW YORK: The UN independent expert on torture on Tuesday urged Israel to overhaul its detention laws, policies and practices after documenting widespread allegations of torture, sexual violence and other serious abuses against Palestinian detainees since October 2023.
Alice Jill Edwards said emergency measures introduced by Israel after the October 2023 Hamas attack had exposed Palestinian detainees to torture, degrading treatment, prolonged incommunicado detention and potentially unlawful deaths in custody.
“It is my view that the number and cruelty of allegations compiled portray gross disregard by Israel of its duty to treat all detainees humanely and without discrimination,” Edwards said.
“This has encouraged, tolerated and condoned torture and ill-treatment, at times with support at ministerial and functional levels.”
The special rapporteur’s communication to Israel, which has now been made public, detailed 52 incidents involving torture or other forms of ill-treatment, as well as 33 incidents of sexual torture and sexualized abuse.
