Ref: 141/2014
Date: 14 September 2014
Time: 11:30 GMT

The lawyers of the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) have visited 4 of Palestinians detaineesin Ashkelon Prison who were arrested in the latest 51-day Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip.

The lawyers confirmed that the prisoners were subjected to variousforms of torture during their detention period, including beating and shackling between two chairs for long hours (Shabeh).

According to PCHR’s documentation,Israeli forces arrested dozens of Palestinian civilians during the offensive on the Gaza Strip; 31 of whom were transferred to Israeli prisons.

Later, 4 of the aforementioneddetainees were released while 27 remained in custody and were charged of being members of armed groups, except for one, Samir al-Najjar, who was charged of beingan “illegitimate combatant.”

It should be noted that the members of armedresistancegroups are considered prisoners of waragainst whom no bills of indictmentcan be presented according to the international law.

PCHR continues its efforts to pursue Israeli war criminals through international courts based on the principle of universal jurisdiction to bring them before justice since torture is an international crime.