A court in Israel has again extended the detention of two members of the Gaza-bound humanitarian aid flotilla that was violently intercepted by Israeli forces on international waters last week. Spanish national Saif Abukeshek and Brazilian national Thiago Ávila were among an estimated 175 activists forced off their humanitarian aid ships at gunpoint during Israel’s raid on the flotilla. The other activists were taken to a port on the Greek island of Crete. This is a lawyer representing Abukeskek and Ávila, who had visible bruises on his face after Israeli soldiers beat him.
Hadeel Abu Salih: “We also talked about the detention conditions, which amount to psychological torture, since both Thiago and Saif are being kept in isolation since they got — since they were moved to the custody of the Israeli Prison Services. And they are blindfolded each time they are taken out of the cell, even when they go through a medical procedure, which also violates the most basic medical ethical standards.”
Abukeshek and Ávila are being held without charge. Thiago Ávila’s mother died in Brazil yesterday. Click here to see our coverage of this story.