El Ciudadano
Original article: Corte israelí extiende la detención de dos tripulantes de la Flotilla Global Sumud mientras surgen evidencias de tortura
Allegations of Torture and Illegal Detention Following Violent Israeli Operation Against Humanitarian Flotilla in International Waters: Israeli Court Extends Detention of Two Crew Members
The Global Sumud Flotilla condemned the decision by the Israeli occupation court in Ashkelon to extend the detention of Saif Abukeshek and Thiago Ávila, arguing that it highlights severe violations of international law, including acts of torture.
Both activists were captured by Israeli naval forces in international waters off the coast of Greece and were transferred to occupied Palestinian territory earlier this week. The court ordered their detention to be extended for an additional two days, until May 5, despite no formal charges being filed against them.
According to the organization, Israeli prosecutors have leveled broad and politically motivated accusations, which they claim are attempts to criminalize humanitarian actions. The defense, represented by lawyers from Adalah, Hadeel Abu Salih and Lubna Tuma, challenged the legality of the proceedings, emphasizing that Israel lacks jurisdiction over foreign civilians captured in international waters.
The lawyers also presented testimonies detailing severe abuses, including beatings, prolonged immobilization, blindfolding, and isolation at sea, practices that, according to their statement, constitute torture under international law.
The judicial ruling, the Flotilla claims, reflects a broader pattern in which occupying courts legitimize arbitrary detentions and state violence, utilizing secret evidence and fabricated security arguments, raising concerns among international experts regarding the lack of due process.
Currently, Ávila and Abukeshek remain at the Shikma detention center in Ashkelon, where they are continuing a hunger strike in protest of their detention and the mistreatment they have faced.
The organization warns that this case is not isolated but is part of a systematic attack against the Palestinian population and those who act in solidarity with them. The Global Sumud Flotilla describes itself as a civil humanitarian mission operating in accordance with international law, seeking to break the blockade imposed on Gaza, which they assert has resulted in catastrophic humanitarian conditions and widespread hunger.
On April 29, Israeli forces conducted a coordinated military operation against the flotilla in international waters, about 500 nautical miles from Gaza. During the operation, communications were blocked, drones were deployed, and civilian vessels were surrounded, resulting in the capture of over 180 unarmed participants from various countries and the interruption of humanitarian aid.
The organization asserts that these actions constitute serious violations of international law, including the Genocide Convention, the Geneva Conventions, the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the Convention Against Torture. They further caution that obstructing aid amid mass hunger could amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.
In their call to action, the Flotilla demands the immediate and unconditional release of the detainees, as well as other Palestinian prisoners; urgent diplomatic protections; independent investigations into the attack; economic sanctions against Israel; and accountability for the alleged crimes, including what they classify as genocide in Gaza and ethnic cleansing in the West Bank.
They also rally parliament members and authorities worldwide to join a joint declaration, warning that, in light of global inaction, civil resistance will intensify, with mobilizations and camps planned across Europe.
Finally, the organization urged the Tunisian government to ensure the release of its local organizers, highlighting their historical solidarity with Palestine, and asserted that governments face a clear choice: uphold international law or become complicit in its violation.
See the full statement in the following PDF document
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