Terrorism and Collective Punishment

Palestinian detainee talks about extreme torture and abuse

By Saed Bannoura
IMEMC
January 10, 2006

Palestinian detainee Baha’ Ahmad Al Arameen, 23, from Al Ezariyya town, near Jerusalem, said that he was extremely clubbed and hit by the soldiers after arresting him from his home on December 15, 2005, and was subjected to torture during interrogation in Al Maskobiyya detention facility in Jerusalem.

Lawyer Fahmi Al Oweiwy, of the Palestinian Prisons Society, said that he met with Arameen who informed him that he was forced to take all of his clothes off, except his underwear, when soldiers arrested him.

Arameen said in a sworn affidavit that soldiers tied his hands and blindfolded him after forcing him to undress. He added that soldiers kicked and clubbed him while walking him towards the military jeep.

Arameen added that one of the soldiers hit him with his gun on his kidney area and insulted him.

Upon arrival to Maali Adumim military camp, a military doctor “examined him” over phone before he was completely forced to undress in the military base.

Several soldiers took pictures of themselves standing next to him while he was tied and naked.

“They pointed, and placed, their between my legs and took pictures, they pointed their guns at my head and took pictures,” Arameen stated, “They threatened to arrest my father and mother, and abuse them if I don’t confess to whatever they wanted to charge me of.”

Soldiers, indeed, brought the father of Arameen, and told him that if he doesn’t confess they will bring his brothers, sisters and mother, “and do whatever we want with them in front of you.”

The first four days after his arrest, Arameen was not given any meal, and was forced to stand for 10 hours a day; he is still confined to solitary and undergoing interrogation and torture.