11 August 1997

Today, the Israeli High Court ordered the Minister of Defense and the Israeli Security Services (“Shabak”) to refrain from torturing Ghaith Abdel Hafiz Ghaith until a hearing is held regarding his claims of torture.

Ghaith, 25 years old from Deir Ghassan Ramallah, was arrested on July 13, and has been tortured since. For three weeks the Shabak prohibited LAW’s attorney from visiting him and during this time he was tortured continuously. After the ban was lifted, LAW’s attorney found Ghaith in a bad physical state, having had only several hours of sleep for weeks. LAW’s attorney also found Ghaith’s hands and feet badly swollen and his joints red and purple. Ghaith told LAW’s attorney that he tremendous pain in his back and that he had a continous headache for days.

In his affidavit, Ghaith described the methods of torture used against him. He stated that the Shabak tied his hands and feet to a small slanted chair and forced him to sit in contorted positions for days, covered his head with a thick sack for hours, put tight handcuffs on his hands and feet which caused them to swell tremendously, and forced him to squat for hours. Ghaith requested a doctor several times but none was provided. During this entire period, the Shabak allowed him to sleep only several hours and humiliated him in several ways including not letting him bathe periodically or change his clothes for the month.

The Shabak threatened Ghaith that if he didn’t confess they would send him to administrative detention.

Yesterday, LAW’s submitted a petition to the Israeli High Court to obtain an order to stop the torture. Justice Qedmi issued an immediate temporary order banning the torture until a hearing is held. The Court scheduled the hearing for August 21

Ghaith’s wedding was scheduled for this Friday.