PHR-Israel accuses Israeli doctors on complicity in torturing Palestinian detainees

Monday June 30, 2008 20:36 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

The Israeli Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) group, accused Israeli doctors of complicity in torturing Palestinian detainees in Israeli interrogation centers.

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The group said that its findings are based on testimonies from two Palestinians who were tortured during interrogation and developed trauma-related symptoms, including weak hearing, panic attacks and incontinence.

Israeli doctors who work with the prison administration conduct medical checkups on the detainees during and after interrogation, but they fail to report the findings and symptoms, which makes them complicit in torturing the detainees.  

Hadas Ziv, the Executive Director of PHR told Reuters that the organization based its findings on reports by several Israeli human rights groups.

 It is worth mentioning that last year, the Israeli Human Rights Groups, B’Tselem and HaMoked, issued a report on torture practiced by Israeli interrogators against Palestinian detainees.

 Physicians For Human Rights issued a statement urging the Israeli Health Ministry to bar the doctors from participating in interrogations carried out by the Israeli security services against Palestinian detainees.

An official of the ministry claimed she did not receive the letter, therefore could not respond to this appeal.

The PHR also said that doctors who work for the security services risk losing their jobs if they report the torture practiced against the detainees, and urged the ministry of health to protect their rights.

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