Amnesty International worried over Palestinian resident of Italy’s possible extradition to Israel

By Giovanni Legorano

ROME (AA) -- Amnesty International expressed “deep concern” Monday over the possible extradition to Israel of a Palestinian man who is a legal resident of Italy.

Anan Ya’eesh, originally from Tulkarem in the West Bank, was arrested in January for allegedly being part of a terrorist cell in Italy that was planning attacks on civilian and military targets.

“Amnesty International believes that due to the systematic nature of torture and other ill-treatment of Palestinians convicted or awaiting trial in Israeli prisons, Anan Ya'eesh would risk being tortured or subjected to other ill-treatment if extradited,” the human rights group said in a letter to Italian Justice Minister Carlo Nordio.

It added that his extradition would violate Italy's international law obligations, in particular the principle of non-refoulment, which prohibits transferring a person to a place where there is a concrete risk of suffering serious human rights violations.

A court in Italy is currently assessing Israel’s request for Ya’eesh’s extradition.

Nordio’s office of did not immediately reply to a request for comment.