Palestinian centre for human rights finds torture evidence with prisoners

Lawyers from Palestinian Center for Human Rights have visited prisoners detained during the Israeli assault on Gaza and confirmed evidence of torture.  
The Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) lawyers gained access to Ashkelon Prison where they visited 4 of the Palestinians detainees arrested in the latest 51-day Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip.
The lawyers confirmed that the prisoners were subjected to various forms of torture whilst in detention. These included being beaten and being shackled between two chairs for long hours; a practice called 'shabeh' that inflicts sensory isolation, sleep deprivation, physical and psychological pain.
According to PCHR's documentation, Israeli forces arrested dozens of Palestinian civilians during the offensive on the Gaza Strip; 31 of whom were transferred to Israeli prisons.
Later, 4 of the aforementioned detainees were released while 27 remained in custody and were charged of being members of armed groups, except for one, Samir al-Najjar, who was charged of being an “illegitimate combatant."
The accusation of belonging to armed resistance groups is crucial for as they are considered prisoners of war, no bills of indictment can be presented according to the international law.
PCHR continues its efforts to pursue Israeli war criminals through international courts based on the principle of universal jurisdiction to bring them before justice given that torture is an international crime