Amnesty International has urged the Palestinian Authority to “urgently investigate” the alleged torture of Suha Jbara a joint Palestinian US and Panamanian citizen who has testified that she was “beaten slammed against a wall and threatened with sexual violence by her interrogators”.
Jbara was arrested on 3 November “during a violent raid on her home” and subsequently “questioned by prosecutors about allegations that she collected and distributed money in illegal ways an accusation she denies” Amnesty stated.
During a visit by Amnesty to the prison where she is being held Jbara told the human rights group “about brutal treatment at the hands of her interrogators in a three-day ordeal”.
“She also told Amnesty she has suffered relentless harassment from officials to end a hunger strike she began on 22 November in protest at her detention and torture” the press release continued.
Amnesty added that Jbara was “denied access to a lawyer during interrogation and prosecutors from the attorney general’s office took her testimony in the presence of armed security officials at the interrogation centre” and “she was also not allowed to read her testimony before signing it.”
Saleh Higazi Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa deputy director said: “Suha Jbara has described her torture in harrowing detail. The Palestinian authorities must urgently carry out an independent and impartial investigation into these allegations.”
“Any officials identified as responsible must be immediately suspended prosecuted and brought to justice” he added.
