RAMALLAH, November 18, 2015 (WAFA) – An attorney from the
Palestinian Detainees’ Affairs Committee Wednesday revealed affidavits
presented by Palestinian detainees about brutal torture in Israeli prisons.
Hiba Masalha revealed two of the most painful experiences that
Palestinian detainees endure in Majeddo prison.
She highlighted the stories of both Shukri Hantash, 15, who comes
from the Jerusalem town of Abu Dis and has been detained since September 28,
2015 and Muhammad Darraj, 17, who comes from Ramallah city and has been
detained since September 11, 2015.
Hantash was detained from Abu Dis downtown about 5PM on September
28. Five soldiers attacked and knocked him down and beat him up with their legs
and rifles on his back and leg.
Masalha said the soldiers intentionally beat him up twice on his
leg, inflicting horrible pain. Two soldiers handcuffed Hantash using plastic
straps, blindfolded and dragged him into a military vehicle and moved him to a
military camp.
Israeli soldiers dragged Shukri into a closed place after arriving
in the camp, and a soldier whipped him several times using an electric cable, leaving
marks of torture for about a month.
During evening time, Hantash was transferred to Ma‘ali Adumim detention
and interrogation center and interrogated for about two hours. He was
transferred to the minors section in Ofer detention center (prison), where he
remained for two weeks.
Hantash was then transferred to Megiddo prison and strip-searched
before being imprisoned in the minors’ section.
Meanwhile, Muhammad Darraj was detained around 2AM from his
family’s house in Ramallah on September 11.
Several soldiers stormed the house and broke into Muhammad’s room
while he was asleep. A soldier woke him up by beating him on the shoulder using
a riffle. Muhammad woke up horrified and was not allowed any time to change his
sleep wear or use the bathroom.
Israeli soldiers handcuffed Muhammad with plastic ties and
blindfolded before being dragged into a military vehicle.
He was transferred into a military camp, where he was
strip-searched and underwent a medical checkup. Muhammad was detained there
until morning, until transferred into Etzion detention and interrogation
center, where a soldier un-cuffed him.
Instead of using a specialized cutter to remove the plastic cuffs,
the soldier used a cigarette lighter to melt the plastic cuffs; the plastic
straps melted burning Muhammad’s hands.
Muhammad was detained in Ofer detention and interrogation center
for about 40 days before being transferred to Majeddo prison. At Majeddo, he
was strip-searched and then allowed into the minors’ section.
K.F/M.H
