UN marks 27th International Day in Support of Torture Victims amid rising concerns

By Faruk Hanedar

ISTANBUL (AA) - The UN General Assembly commemorated the 27th International Day in Support of Victims of Torture on Tuesday amid ongoing global concerns over torture in conflict zones, particularly in the occupied Palestinian territories and war-torn Syria.

Adopted in 1984 and enforced since June 26, 1987, the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment aims to eradicate torture worldwide.

A decade later, on June 26, 1997, the UN General Assembly declared this date as the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture to raise awareness and support victims.

Despite these efforts and the provisions in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the European Convention on Human Rights prohibiting torture, violations persist due to wars, internal conflicts, and discrimination.

The lack of effective implementation highlights the need for UN reform, as evidenced by the ongoing issues.

- Israel's torture of Palestinians for 76 years

Since its establishment in 1948, Israel has subjected Palestinians to displacement, killings, arbitrary arrests, and torture.

Reports from NGOs and official bodies indicate that since Oct. 7, 2023, there has been a significant increase in these human rights violations.

According to the Committee Against Torture, more than 1,400 complaints of torture have been submitted to the Israeli Justice Ministry since 2001, and all cases were closed before an indictment was prepared.

According to the Palestinian human rights organization Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association, Between 1967 and 2023, 233 Palestinian prisoners died in Israeli custody, with 73 deaths directly resulting from torture.

The Israeli authorities have detained about 7,000 Palestinians in 2022 in the West Bank and Gaza, with the number escalating rapidly since October 2023.

In 2022, Israel detained approximately 7,000 Palestinians from Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip. As of early 2023, 4,700 Palestinian prisoners were held in Israeli prisons, including 29 women and 150 children. This number has surged since Oct. 7, 2023, with nearly 9,000 Palestinians arrested in the West Bank and Jerusalem.

Israel's use of administrative detention has led to nearly 6,000 Palestinians being detained without trial since October 2023. During this period, 18 Palestinian prisoners died due to severe torture in prisons.

Reports from former detainees reveal severe torture practices, including prolonged binding, electric shocks, forced starvation, and sleep deprivation.

The situation in Gaza is particularly dire, with estimates suggesting that 3,000 to 5,000 Palestinians are forcibly detained by Israel.

Recently, 33 released detainees exhibited severe signs of torture. Though Israeli authorities claimed they have investigated these allegations, no significant actions have followed.

- Torture in Syria

Since the onset of the civil war in March 2011, Syria has witnessed rampant human rights abuses. The Syrian Network for Human Rights reports that 15,334 people, including 199 children and 115 women, have died due to torture.

Since March 2011, a total of 15,074 people, including 95 women and 190 children, have died under torture in Syrian regime prisons.

The PKK/YPG terrorist organization, operating under the name Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), has caused the deaths of 100 people, including two women and three children, through torture.

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham has been responsible for torturing 41 people, including a woman and two children, to death while Daesh/ISIS has caused the torture deaths of 32 people, including 14 women and a child.

Additionally, 87 people, including three women and three children, have died under torture by other armed groups.

Arbitrary detention remains widespread, with 156,757 individuals, including 5,235 children and 10,205 women, detained since 2011. Current estimates suggest that around 400,000 people are subjected to torture in Syrian prisons.

- Guantanamo: A symbol of torture

Opened on Jan. 11, 2002, by then-US President George W. Bush, Guantanamo Bay detention camp has become synonymous with torture.

Since its inception, 779 detainees, all Muslims, have faced severe torture without formal charges or trials.

According to figures released by Amnesty International, there are currently 30 Muslims held in detention for over 22 years without any trial.

Among them, 16 have been abandoned to their fate despite proposals from US national security agencies to transfer them out of Guantanamo.

Official records show that nine detainees have lost their lives in prison to date.

Last year, during a visit by the UN Special Rapporteur to the facility, it was revealed that systematic torture methods are still being employed under the guise of "enhanced interrogation."

Former detainees often face continued psychological torture and discrimination even after their release, highlighting ongoing human rights issues related to the camp.