The Israeli occupation state continues to perpetrate some of the most atrocious crimes of the century against large numbers of Palestinian prisoners who are held under extremely harsh and inhumane conditions that lack even the most basic necessities of human life. Amid systematic torture, premeditated and ongoing killings of detainees in Israeli prisons, major Israeli media outlets have once again revealed one of the occupation’s most vile and sadistic crimes: the sexual assault and murder of a Palestinian prisoner — an act that was documented, filmed, and later leaked to these media outlets. This crime reflects the deep moral and ethical decay that has spread through the security, political, and military circles of the occupation state.
At first glance, one might assume that the controversy surrounding this heinous act concerns the crime itself. But shockingly, the uproar and public debate revolve around identifying who leaked the footage, with total disregard for the life of the prisoner who suffered this horrific assault — an incident that exposes the brutality and fascism of the leaders, officers, and soldiers of the Israeli occupation, particularly the Israeli Prison Service. Over the past two years, prison guards — under direct orders, encouragement, and continuous support from the extremist terrorist Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben-Gvir — have proudly and openly committed such atrocities and crimes, which should have shaken the very foundations of humanity.
Just days ago, the world moved swiftly, and powerful institutions and influential figures demanded that Palestinians hand over the remains of Israeli prisoners. Yet, those same voices remain silent when it comes to a crime that cannot even be compared to mere killing, lawlessness, and abuse — crimes of sexual violence, torture, oppression, and humiliation endured by our heroic prisoners every hour and every moment inside the living tombs that hold more than ten thousand Palestinian detainees, including women, children, the sick, and the elderly.
The time has come for humanity to rise in defense of itself — through a moral and humane stance that puts an end to these heinous crimes, which only deepen the catastrophe and suffering and keep the flames of conflict burning for years and decades to come.
At the Palestinian Center for Prisoners’ Advocacy, and through our follow-up on this heinous and shameful crime, we affirm the following:
First: We are not at all surprised by this crime, as our center has documented numerous testimonies indicating that dozens of prisoners have been subjected to sexual violence — a phenomenon that has become prevalent among Israeli prison officers and soldiers.
Second: We will continue our legal efforts to hold international human rights bodies accountable for confronting this dangerous and state-sponsored pattern of terror. Silence in the face of this horrific scene can only be interpreted as complicity or participation in the crime.
Third: We urge all freed prisoners to document and record the crimes they have suffered or witnessed, and to engage — individually and collectively — with international institutions to expose the occupation state and all those who support and enable it.
Fourth: We urgently call upon the Arab Lawyers Union to form a specialized legal team to follow up on this specific case and pursue it with all relevant international bodies to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to international justice — justice that must awaken from its slumber and complacency.
