Criminal Complaint Filed in Istanbul for Tortured Palestinians in Israeli Prisons
Istanbul, April 8 – A group of lawyers in Istanbul has filed a criminal complaint on behalf of Palestinians and their relatives who have allegedly been subjected to torture and ill-treatment in Israeli prisons. The lawyers submitted their petitions to the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office and later made a press statement in front of the Istanbul Courthouse in Çağlayan Square.
Allegations of Torture and Ill-Treatment as Part of Genocide
Speaking on behalf of the group, lawyer Gülden Sönmez stated that thousands of Palestinians have been held captive in Israeli prisons for many years. She highlighted that a new policy was implemented in prisons on October 8, following the attacks of October 7, 2023.
Sönmez described these practices, which aim to psychologically and physically destroy Palestinians, as part of a crime of genocide. She noted that Palestinians in prisons are subjected to torture, and their basic needs are not met, leading to widespread human rights violations.
It is estimated that over 10,000 Palestinians are held in Israeli prisons and all other registered and unregistered detention centers. Sönmez pointed out that some of these individuals were arbitrarily abducted, some are held under administrative detention without trial or judgment, and others have been convicted on fabricated charges.
Identification of Suspects and International Legal Action
Sönmez informed that the names of Israeli prison directors, administrators, politically responsible individuals within the chain of command, and lower-level suspects who carried out the torture have been submitted to the prosecutor’s office.
She stated that Turkish judiciary could gather evidence and issue arrest warrants for suspects located in Turkey, and requested Interpol to issue arrest warrants for suspects in other countries. “We have detailed in these petitions, in a comprehensive manner, the applications made to our clients in Israeli prisons, one by one, detail by detail, place by place, date by date. We hope that the decisions to be taken on behalf of our clients will also be able to prevent the ongoing oppression,” Sönmez added.
Lawyer Furkan Aral further asserted that crimes against humanity, such as starvation, deprivation of religious freedoms, rape, and torture, are being committed against Palestinians in Israeli prisons. He also mentioned that an execution law for Palestinians was recently enacted. Aral stated that they have filed criminal complaints through some victims or their relatives and will continue to monitor the process.
Applications to the United Nations and International Courts
Lawyer Hilal Koçeli reported that as of last night, they had submitted the first group application to the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention. She noted that three of the four victims in this file had been held in Israeli prisons for decades and are currently free, while one victim remains in prison.
Koçeli emphasized that the testimonies of their victims are also corroborated by reports from the UN and other international human rights organizations. “Therefore, we have completed our first application regarding this issue. We will continue our applications for our remaining 21 victims. In the coming period, we will continue our applications to all authorities, including other working groups under the UN and rapporteurs related to Palestine. Furthermore, the conditions for application to the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court are also being investigated,” Koçeli stated.
Source: trthaber.com
