AFTER FOUR WEEKS OF TORTURE, PALESTINIAN RELEASED FROM ISRAELI PRISON

20 October, 1996

Today, Muayid Jamal Jmail, 24 years old from Nablus was release from Qishon prison in Israel, following a severe interrogation that lasted one month. Jmail is the brother of Mahmoud Jmail who was tortured to death by the Palestinian Authority in July 1996. Muayid and his brother were arrested 10 months ago by the Palestinian authority and detained in Jericho. After the death of his brother, the Palestinian Authority released Muayid with an apology. Twenty-four days later, while walking on the street with friends at night, the Israeli army arrested Muayid and sent him to Qishon prison for interrogation.

In an affidavit taken by Adv. Allegra Pacheco, an attorney for LAWE, Muayid detailed the torture methods used by the Israelis on him. When he was first arrested Israeli soldiers beat him up with rifle butts. In Qishon prison, the Israeli interrogators tied up Muayid into contorted positions. They held him in these positions and prohibited sleep continuously for several days. Muayid fell unconscious several times during the interrogation. Afterwards they allowed him to sleep every few days. The positions included squatting on his toes, and being handcuffed to a kindergarten chair for hours. All this while his head was covered with a thick sack that made breathing difficult. One interrogator, known as Captain Ofer kicked Muayid several times in the groin and also used the notorious shaking method on him. Muayid complained of continuing back pain from this interrogation.

Today, a hearing was scheduled to extend Muayid's interrogation, but because of a lack of any charges or evidence against him Muayid was released.

LAWE condemns the use of physical and psychological pressure on detainees and call on the international community to protest continued use of torture during interrogation of Palestinians.

LAWE - The Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment is a non-governmental organization, dedicated to preserving human rights through legal advocacy. LAWE is also an affiliate member of the Paris-based International Federation for Human Rights.