Khaberni - The Palestinian Journalists Protection Center reported that a Palestinian journalist detained by Israeli authorities was subjected to rape and sexual torture inside a detention center by a trained dog.
The center noted that the assault resulted in severe psychological trauma for the journalist, causing him to lose his mental balance for more than two months in one of the most serious documented crimes against journalists in Israeli prisons.
The center explained in a statement issued on Sunday that the crime took place inside the Sdei Teiman detention center after the journalist was forcibly taken with seven other prisoners to an isolated area in the camp, where they were subjected to collective sexual assaults, in the presence of soldiers who deliberately documented the assault and mocked the victims, amid complete restraint, blindfolding, and deprivation of any legal or human protection.
According to the journalist, who requested to be identified as "Yahya" to protect his family's security, the assault lasted about 3 minutes, followed by a severe psychological and neurological collapse that impaired his ability to concentrate and perceive normally for more than two months, which according to doctors and human rights observers who reviewed the testimony, is consistent with acute stress disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
The journalist, who spent 20 months in Tel Aviv prisons, including three months at "Sdei Teiman" and one month at "Ofer," added that this crime was not an isolated incident, but came within the context of a systematic torture policy designed to break the will of prisoners and demean them psychologically and physically.
Yahya pointed out that the occupation uses dogs as a direct torture weapon, in flagrant violation of international conventions prohibiting torture and cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment.
He also spoke about undergoing harsh interrogations, during which he was restrained and blindfolded and transported via military trucks to various detention sites, most notably the "Sdei Teiman" camp where he spent about 100 days in inhumane conditions that included physical and psychological torture, sleep deprivation, starvation, religious insults, denial of treatment, and electric shocks.
The journalist stressed that the sexual assault is one of the most serious crimes he faced inside the facility, pointing out that the violations occurred in isolated places and in the presence of soldiers and officers, in a complete absence of any oversight or accountability.
He reported that the occupation authorities intensified their torture after learning of his journalistic profession, as he was assaulted after revealing his work, faced charges of transmitting "misleading information," and received threats of life imprisonment due to his media activity.
In his testimony, he referred to the harsh detention conditions, including severe overcrowding, lack of hygiene, spread of diseases, shortage of food and water, prohibition of prayer, and practices that degrade human dignity, as well as witnessing the deaths of prisoners, including academics and doctors, under mysterious circumstances.
He said: "We spent the autumn and winter in tattered summer clothes, sleeping on the tile floor."
He added: "We entered these detention centers alive, and left them with exhausted bodies and shattered spirits.. And those who didn't die inside were broken forever."
The Israeli army detained the journalist "Yahya" during a raid on the Al-Shifa medical complex in Gaza City on March 18, 2024, while he was performing his media duties, wearing his press vest, and carrying his camera.
Moreover, the Palestinian Journalists Protection Center confirmed that the journalist's ordeal constitutes rape and sexual torture under the 1984 Convention Against Torture, a war crime according to "Article 8" of the Rome Statute, and a crime against humanity if the systematic and repetitive nature is proven according to "Article 7," as well as a serious violation of "Common Article 3" of the Geneva Conventions, and a direct targeting of journalists as civilians protected under international humanitarian law.
The center mentioned that using dogs in sexual assault constitutes one of the most dangerous forms of torture internationally prohibited, aimed at complete psychological humiliation and degradation of the victims.
The center also called for including this crime in the files of prosecutions before the International Criminal Court, urgently initiating an independent international investigation, prosecuting those responsible under the principle of international jurisdiction, ensuring immediate medical and psychological treatment for the victims, and securing the safety and legal protection of the witnesses.
In conclusion, the center affirmed that these crimes do not fall under the statute of limitations, and that the testimonies of Palestinian journalists represent cumulative evidence of a systematic torture policy within Israeli prisons, warranting international criminal accountability.
