 A Day of Struggle and Solidarity for a just world
| | By Dr. Ishai Menuchin, Executive Directed of PCATI Saturday 26 June 2010 is the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, a worldwide day of solidarity decided upon by the UN General Assembly in December 1997 as part of its worldwide campaign against torture, abuse and degrading and inhumane treatment of individuals. It is also a day, beyond identifying with the victims, should declare our obligation to a local and international struggle against the continued use of torture and abuse by the authorities against their victims. We, citizens of Israel, are committed to the “Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment”, signed in 1984, not only because it is the morally just thing to do, but also because Israel signed the Convention in 1986 and ratified its signature again in 1991. Yet although more than 145 states have signed the convention, torture and abuse continues on a wide scale in Israel and in the world. Read more...
| New PCATI petition: Open criminal investigations against interrogators involved in torture and abuse | A new petition filed by PCATI calls once again for the Attorney General to use his authority and order immediately the opening of a criminal investigation against interrogators involved in assault and/or torture.
Ala’a Salam was detained and interrogated by the General Security Services (GSS) in the detention facility in the Russian Compound in Jerusalem. In addition to harsh violence, threats and humiliation he was subjected to in his interrogation and the sub-human conditions under which he was held, interrogators involved in his interrogation used a method under which Ala’a was painfully shackled for long periods of time while lying down. Read more...
| Joint Position Paper - "Israel Should Ratify the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention Against Torture as an Effective Means of Eliminating Torture" | The OPCAT aims to help states to enforce the absolute prohibition on torture, as enshrined in the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT), which Israel ratified on 3 October 1991. It has the potential to be a key tool for the elimination of torture and other forms of ill-treatment in detention centers in Israel. By signing and ratifying the OPCAT, Israel would join the growing ranks of States Parties that have embraced this new approach and committed to a culture of greater openness, cooperation and dialogue in the fight against torture. Read more...
| Registration for “Everett” Grants – the grant is meant for students participating in PCATI’s Cinema and Human Rights project | Registration has opened for students interested in joining PCATI’s activities, under the education project “Cinema and Human Rights”.
This past academic year PCATI employed six students from different institutions of higher learning who were funded by different grants. This coming academic year PCATI plans to continue the project, and is interested in recruiting new participants.
send a CV by 15.7 to paula@gmail.com.
| | | Events | | Screening of the film “Hunger” and Panel at Jerusalem Cinemateque in commemoration of the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in the Palestinian Occupied Territories and the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel, in cooperation with Jerusalem Cinemateque present:
Panel in commemoration of the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture and Abuse and screening of the film: “Hunger”. Participants in the panel discussion: Dr. David Senesh, Clinical Psychologist; Dr. Anat Matar, Department of Philosophy, University of Tel Aviv and the Israeli Action Committee for the Palestinian Prisoners and Detainees; Adv. Bana Shoughry-Badarne, Director of the Legal Department – The Public Committee Against Torture in Israel. View invitation here.
“Gaza – Here and Now”, an evening on the siege On Sunday 4.7 we shall gather at the “Hagada Hasmalit” for an evening on the subject of the siege of the Gaza Strip. The conference will include a varied panel which will reflect the reality in Gaza as it is today and will go into detail on the influence of the siege on the Strip and its residents.
After the panel, a screening of the film “Fatenah”, the first Palestinian animated film, is planned. The film depicts the life of a young Palestinian girl who is forced to deal with the siege and its consequences. View the invitation here (In Hebrew). “Exposed – Palestinian Detainees During Operation Cast Lead”. PCATI’s newest report, which will be released at the event. “Exposed – Palestinian Detainees During Operation Cast Lead” deals with the grave violations of human rights carried out by the State of Israel during Operation “Cast Lead”. The report, which documents and details these repeated, grave infringements of human rights during Operation Cast Lead, exposes for the first time in a specific and direct manner, the treatment of those Palestinians arrested during the operation and transferred to the custody and responsibility of the State of Israel.
For Gilad Shalit – Call to the World Concert On Monday 5.7 at 17:30, there will be a concert in honor of Gilad Shalit in an open area near Kibutz Kfar Azza. View the invitation here. | Briefing to the Human Rights Committee | In this briefing, the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel (PCATI) provides information on and illustrations of its concerns regarding Israel’s compliance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (the Covenant), for the consideration by the Human Rights Committee (the Committee) of Israel’s 3rd Periodic Report. The briefing focuses on provisions of the Covenant relevant to PCATI’s mandate, that is, chieflyinvolving the treatment of persons deprived of their liberty, and should not be considered aspurporting to cover the full range of Covenant rights Read more... | |
