Israel/Palestine: The Observatory condemns the arbitrary detention and ill-treatment of activists aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla in Israeli prisons

On the night of 1-2 October 2025, the Israeli army violently intercepted the boats composing the Global Sumud Flotilla, a non-violent humanitarian initiative aimed at breaking the illegal siege on Gaza and delivering food and medical supplies, while sailing in international waters. 462 peaceful activists on board, including human rights defenders, NGO representatives, journalists, medical workers, and lawmakers were forcibly taken to the port of Ashdod and subjected to arbitrary detention and ill-treatment. Among those abducted and detained were two FIDH Vice-Presidents, Alexis Deswaef(Belgium) and Aziz Rhali (Morocco), former President of the Moroccan Human Rights Association (Association marocaine des droits humains - AMDH), member of OMCT’s SOS-Torture Network. The interception and abduction of the Flotilla participants in international waters constitute a grave breach of international law and of the fundamental rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. At the time of publication of this statement, almost all activists had been released except Aziz Rhali and 5 others.

After their unlawful arrest, which, according to United Nations experts, constitutes a grave violation of international law and humanitarian principles, detainees were held in Ketziot prison in the Naqab (Negev) desert under inhumane conditions. According to Adalah - The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel, some detainees were denied access to legal representation for several hours and some have still not been granted access to legal support to this day. Some detainees have reported physical violence, verbal harassment, deprivation of food, clean drinking water, life-sustaining medication, sleep, and confinement in painful stressful positions. These acts and omissions violate the absolute prohibition of torture and other ill-treatment.

The Observatory recalls that OMCT, FIDH, and their respective network members have extensively documented the systematic use of torture by Israeli authorities, including in the context of the reviews of Israel by the United Nations Committee against torture, as a means of dehumanisation and control over the Palestinian people - a pattern that has reached unprecedented levels of brutality since October 2023. Testimonies, legal analyses, and case studies reveal torture as a tool of political subjugation and war in the context of Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza.

The Observatory recalls that the Global Sumud Flotilla is a legitimate, peaceful, and non-violent initiative, carried out in line with the principles of solidarity and the right to defend human rights. The violent repression of this initiative and the ongoing mistreatment of its participants are part of a broader pattern of state-sanctioned violence against Palestinians that seeks to silence voices denouncing Israel’s ongoing genocide and concrete acts to challenge the illegal siege in Gaza.

The Observatory condemns in the strongest possible terms the humiliating and stigmatising declarations made by Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who publicly stated that he was “proud” of the treatment of Flotilla activists, calling them “supporters of terrorism” who “deserve the conditions of terrorists.” Such statements not only legitimise torture and abuse, and indicate that such treatment is a state policy, but also aim to stigmatise and criminalise international solidarity and dehumanise peaceful defenders acting to uphold human rights and international law.

The Observatory further condemns the silence and inaction of some members of the international community and the European Union, which have failed to take protective diplomatic measures to secure the release of their nationals and to uphold international law. This failure emboldens Israeli impunity and undermines the credibility of the EU’s own human rights commitments.

On the night of 7-8 October, Israeli forces attacked and unlawfully intercepted a new peaceful humanitarian flotilla in international waters. The operation targeted the Conscience, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition’s flagship vessel, and eight sailboats of the Thousands Madleens to Gaza initiative, carrying around 145 participants from around the world, including human rights defenders, medical workers, and journalists. According to Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the participants are being transported to an Israeli port.

Considering this, the Observatory therefore:

• Urges the Israeli authorities to immediately and unconditionally release all Freedom Flotilla Coalition activists arbitrarily detained for their peaceful humanitarian action;
• Demands an immediate end to the systematic and widespread use of torture and other ill-treatment in Israeli detention facilities;
• Calls on the EU and the international community to address the systematic and widespread nature of torture in Israel and to ensure accountability for crimes committed under international law;
• Urges EU member states and all States, to use all their leverage and deploy all necessary diplomatic efforts to secure the release of the arbitrarily detained activists and to publicly condemn Israel’s violations.

The Observatory reaffirms its solidarity with all defenders and activists who, through peaceful means, continue to stand for justice, dignity, and human rights in Palestine. The Observatory will continue to closely monitor the situation, pursuing accountability for Israel’s persistent and systematic violations of international law and demanding the immediate release and protection of those arbitrarily detained.