On International Day in Support of Victims of Torture
Impunity is the Weapon.. Torture is the Crime
26 June 2025
On International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, The Palestinian Coalition Against Torture draws urgent attention to the escalating use of torture by Israeli occupation forces against Palestinian prisoners and detainees. Torture has long been entrenched in Israel’s carceral system, used deliberately from the moment of arrest and throughout detention. However, since the start of Israel’s genocidal war on the Palestinian people, torture has intensified into some of the most extreme and dehumanizing forms in recent memory.
The targeting of Palestinians across all areas—homes, schools, hospitals, and shelters—has been mirrored by a corresponding assault on detainees, particularly those from Gaza. Thousands remain in undisclosed detention, held in military camps such as “Sde Teman” and “Anatot,” where they face relentless violence and abuse. Prisoners are subjected to forced nudity, prolonged shackling, beatings, denial of medical care, sexual violence, psychological degradation, and exposure to extreme temperatures. These practices are not isolated incidents but systematic policies that reflect the occupation’s institutional reliance on torture as a tool of domination and revenge.
Since October 2023, at least 72 Palestinians have died in Israeli custody due to torture, medical neglect, and inhumane treatment. In addition to tens of detainees who were killed and their names and fates remain hidden, as Israeli authorities refuse to release information, leaving families in unbearable uncertainty. This deliberate withholding of information is part of a broader effort to erase the crimes committed inside detention centers and interrogation facilities.
The continued and systematic use of torture by Israeli occupation forces is rooted in a long-standing culture of impunity, enabled by the failure of the international community to take meaningful action. Despite decades of documentation, testimonies, and legal evidence, Israeli officials and institutions responsible for torture have faced no real consequences. This impunity has emboldened the occupation to escalate its abuses, particularly against vulnerable detainees from Gaza, including children. Without accountability, torture is not only permitted but also institutionalized. The international community, including States Parties to the Convention Against Torture and the Fourth Geneva Convention, bears a legal and moral obligation to end this impunity by initiating independent investigations, enforcing international law through universal jurisdiction, and imposing sanctions on those responsible. Only through concrete accountability can the cycle of torture and abuse be dismantled. Decades of inaction have created a system where torture is normalized, and justice is deferred indefinitely.
In light of this, The Palestinian Coalition Against Torture calls on all states to uphold their legal responsibilities under international law, including the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice and the Fourth Geneva Convention. States must cease recognizing or legitimizing Israel’s unlawful presence in the occupied Palestinian territory and must refuse to support any structures or systems that sustain this illegality. This includes acknowledging the illegality of arresting Palestinians under military orders, demanding an end to Israel’s military court system, and pushing for the immediate release of all Palestinian prisoners arbitrarily and unlawfully detained.
We urge the United Nations and relevant international institutions to recognize that Palestinians held in Israeli prisons and camps are subjected to arbitrary detention in violation of international standards. UN bodies, including the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and the Special Rapporteurs on Torture and on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers, must act decisively by pressing for the dismantlement of Israel’s military judicial system and demanding the release of Palestinian detainees. These institutions must take concrete steps to hold Israel accountable and end its systematic use of torture.
The Palestinian Coalition Against Torture further demands the immediate cessation of all forms of torture, cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment or punishment by Israeli authorities. This includes an urgent call for international access to all places of detention through independent humanitarian and human rights monitoring bodies, such as the International Committee of the Red Cross and relevant UN Special Procedures. Independent investigations must be launched into all reported deaths in custody, with full transparency and accountability for perpetrators. The use of secret or undisclosed detention centers must be outlawed, and all detainees, particularly those from Gaza, must be granted access to legal counsel, family contact, and urgent medical care.
Torture is a grave crime and a tool of colonial repression. On this day, we honor the Palestinian victims of torture, those who have survived, those who remain behind bars, and those who have been martyred. We reaffirm our commitment to justice, accountability, and the liberation of all Palestinian prisoners.
The Palestinian Coalition Against Torture
Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association
Al-Haq
Treatment and Rehabilitation Center for Victims of Torture
Jerusalem Legal Aid and Human Rights Center
Gaza Community Mental Health Programme
Human Rights and Democracy Media Center (SHAMS)
Civil Commission for the Independence of the Judiciary and the Rule of Law (ISTIQLAL)
Center for Defense of Liberties and Civil Rights (Hurriyyat)
Independent Commission for Human Rights (Observing member)
