|  After More than a Decade of PCATI Advocacy, Haaretz Reports: Israel's MOJ to Probe Torture Complaints
| After more than a decade of PCATI advocacy challenging the official process for investigating complaints of interrogational torture , the Attorney General announced that the Official in Charge of GSS Interrogee Complaints (OCGIC, an active GSS agent) will be moved to the Justice Department.
In response to the Attorney General’s announcement of the transfer to the Justice Department, PCATI calls for the process to be completed by creating an independent and impartial mechanism for the investigation of complaints.
Since 2001 some 650 complaints of torture and ill-treatment durring GSS interrogations (see PCATI’s report “Accountability Denied”) have been submitted. To date, not a single one of these complaints has led to a criminal investigation.
PCATI welcomes this initiative and is hopeful that following the Attorney General’s decision an independent system will be created which will investigate and prevent future cases of torture and ill-treatment.
Read More... | PCATI opposes bill stripping basic human rights from those suspected of security violations |  The High Court of Justice ordered an urgent hearing of PCATI's petition demanding the opening of a criminal investigation of GSS interrogators suspected of using torture.
“Salem was later beaten on all parts of his body with a nightstick while they implored upon him to confess. At one stage he was struck on his nose with a helmet and as a result lost consciousness. When he came around he was shaking, his nose was bleeding, and both his hands were cut and bleeding” (From PCATI report, “Shackling as a Form of Torture and Abuse”, page 49).
Ala’a Salem is being represented by PCATI in the filing of a complaint over the torture to which he was subjected during his interrogation at the GSS interrogation facility in the Russian Compound in central Jerusalem. Like hundreds of other complaints filed by torture victims and human rights organizations, Ala’a’s complaint was closed under by the authorities claiming that ‘the complaint is baseless’. In August 2010 Ala’a Salem and PCATI, through Atty. Nabeel Dakwar, filed an appeal to the High Court of Justice demanding that it order the Attorney General to use his authority and open a criminal investigation against the GSS interrogations suspected of carrying out the assault and torture of Ala’a.
The HCJ acquiesced to PCATI's motion for an urgent hearing on the appeal, rejected the State Attorney’s request to reject the appeal out of hand and scheduled the hearing for 2/2/2011 before a panel of three judges.
Read More... | PCATI opposes bill stripping basic human rights from those suspected of security violations | PCATI opposes a bill stripping basic human rights from those suspected of security violations.
PCATI, along with Adalah and the Association for Civil Rights in Israel, warned in a position paper submitted to the Chair of the Law, Constitution and Justice Committee, MK David Rotem, as well as in discussions in which it participated along with other human rights organizations, that the passing of the proposed bill would mean bypassing HCJ rulings.
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To open the page click here | | Events marking International Human Rights Day | | “Ball on the Brink - Artists for Human Rights”
To mark International Human Rights Day in cooperation with Physicians for Human Rights-Israel, PCATI invites you to the “Ball on the Brink – Artists for Human Rights”.
Participants include : Elliot, Judd Ne’eman, Dan Toren, Hedra Levin Areddy, Sagol 59, System Ali, Samieh Jabbarin, Sarah Von-Shchwarze and more...
Thursday 9.12.2010
The Arab-Hebrew Theater of Jaffa
Mifratz Shlomo Street 10 (Old City ofJaffa) For the event page on Facebook click here
“The Secret Agent and the Attorney General Ball”, an event commemorating International Human Rights Day one year ago, held at Levontin 7 in Tel Aviv.
“The march – Human Rights March in Israel”
The 2010 Human Rights March in Israel takes place in the shadow of increasing racism, injustice and a series of anti-democratic legislative initiatives. On Friday, 10/12, at 10:30 AM, the protest march will kick off in Tel Aviv, against all the injustices carried out in Israel and in the world, and in favor of a democratic state which respects human rights.
For more information click here | Events | | Hebrew University Panel marking release of PCATI Report on Incommunicado Detention.
PCATI's new report, "When the Exception Becomes the Rule" details the brutal trampling of basic due process rights by the State of Israel. The report exposes before the public and the legal establishment the manner in which security detainees are routinely held incommunicado, with no contact with attorneys or anyone else in the outside world. This treatment is immoral and sets the stage for torture and ill treatment.
Wednesday 29.12.10. 18:00 Gathering at the Faculty of Law, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Room 302
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“Popcorn and Social Justice”, a series of gatherings on the link between human rights and representations in film
Torture, repression, massacre, discrimination... Film-makers, in a variety of genres of film, deal in many different ways with the realities of encounters with human rights and with animals.
In the month of January PCATI kicks off its series “Popcorn and Social Justice”, a series of film gatherings in cooperation with “Zangevil – VegetarianCommunity Center”.
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| | Radio “All for Peace” and Social Television | | PCATI Executive Director, Dr. Ishai Menuchin's weekly radio show on “All for Peace Radion” explored the subject of the bill “For the protection of the values of the State of Israel”.
To listen click here (in Hebrew)
“No to institutional violence!” Protest encircles the Russian Compound
On Thursday the 30th of September 2010 a protest was staged by PCATI, Rabbis for Human Rights and Physicians for Human Rights-Israel. The party built on the holiday theme of the Simhat Torah by marching around the Russian Compound detention center in Jerusalem.
To view the movie clip produced by Social Television documenting the protest, please click the picture below. 
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