DATE=1/13/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-244119
TITLE=ISRAEL/TORTURE (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=DAVID GOLLUST
DATELINE=JERUSALEM
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: ISRAEL'S HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE WEDNESDAY BEGAN A REVIEW
OF INTERROGATION TACTICS BY ISRAELI SECURITY SERVICES -- MAINLY
APPLIED TO PALESTINIANS -- THAT HAVE WIDELY BEEN CONDEMNED BY
HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS. V-O-A'S DAVID GOLLUST REPORTS FROM
JERUSALEM.
TEXT: THE HIGH COURT'S REVIEW OF TACTICS BY ISRAEL'S SHIN BET
SECURITY SERVICE BEGAN A DAY AFTER A SCATHING "AMNESTY
INTERNATIONAL" STATEMENT SAID ISRAEL IS THE ONLY COUNTRY IN THE
WORLD TO ALLOW WHAT AMOUNTS TO "LEGALIZED TORTURE" BY ITS POLICE.
ISRAEL DOES NOT CONTEST REPORTS THAT SHIN BET AGENTS HAVE USED
TACTICS SUCH AS VIOLENT SHAKING, SLEEP DEPRIVATION, CONFINEMENT
IN TINY SPACES, AND EXPOSURE TO HEAT AND COLD IN THEIR
INTERROGATIONS OF MAINLY-PALESTINIAN SECURITY SUSPECTS.
BUT IT DENIES THAT THE USE OF OF PHYSICAL PRESSURE ON PRISONERS
IS SYSTEMIC, AND SAYS IT IS ONLY APPLIED IN SO-CALLED "TICKING
BOMB" CASES IN WHICH IT IS IMPERATIVE TO EXTRACT INFORMATION TO
AVOID LOSS OF LIFE.
ISRAELI GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN MOSHE FOGEL INSISTS THE USE OF WHAT
IS TERMED "MODERATE PRESSURE" IN INTERVIEWING TERROR SUSPECTS
DOES NOT AMOUNT TO TORTURE:
///FOGEL ACTUALITY///
TORTURE IS ILLEGAL IN ISRAEL. THERE IS NO EXCUSE AND
THERE IS NO WAY THAT ANYONE CAN EMPLOY TORTURE OR
TACTICS WHICH INVOLVE TORTURE IN INTERROGATIONS, EVEN
WITH WANTED TERRORISTS. WHAT IS ALLOWED, IN CERTAIN
UNIQUE, EXTREME CIRCUMSTANCES -- WHAT WE CALL "TICKING
BOMB" SITUATIONS -- IS MODERATE PRESSURE. AND EVEN
THEN, ONLY IN UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCES. //OPT// AND THEN
THERE IS A VERY VERY SEVERE GUIDELINE FOR THE
INTERROGATOR ON WHAT HE CAN AND CANNOT DO. // END OPT//
///END ACT///
THREE ISRAELI HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS HAVE BROUGHT THE ISSUE OF SHIN
BET INTERROGATIONS TO THE HIGH COURT, WHICH HAD PREVIOUSLY SAID
THE ISRAELI PARLIAMENT -- THE KNESSET -- SHOULD HANDLE THE
MATTER.
IN THE INITIAL HEARING WEDNESDAY, ISRAELI JUSTICE MINISTRY
OFFICIALS SAID, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THAT POLICE TACTICS THAT
NORMALLY WOULD BE CONSIDERED ILLEGAL ARE JUSTIFIED IN EXCEPTIONAL
CIRCUMSTANCES.
BUT EITAN FELNER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE ISRAELI HUMAN RIGHTS
GROUP "B'TSELEM," SAYS THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE USE OF PHYSICAL
COERCION IS BY NO MEANS AN EXCEPTION FOR SHIN BET AGENTS:
///FELNER ACTUALITY///
WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT JUST EXCEPTIONAL CASES.
ACCORDING TO OUR DATA, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AT LEAST 850
PALESTINIANS A YEAR THAT ARE TORTURED. THE LATE PRIME
MINISTER RABIN, A FEW MONTHS BEFORE HE WAS ASSASSINATED
SAID PUBLICLY IN A RADIO INTERVIEW ON KOL (THE VOICE OF)
ISRAEL THAT EIGHT THOUSAND PALESTINIANS WERE SUBJECTED
TO THE METHOD OF INTERROGATION OF SHAKING. SO THIS IS
NOT EXCEPTIONAL CASES. THIS A PATTERN.
///END ACT///
MR. FELNER SAID "SHIN BET" EMPLOYS METHODS OF TORTURE AGAINST
MORE THAN 80 PER CENT OF THE PALESTINIANS IT INTERROGATES. HE
SAID MOST OF THE DETAINEES SUBJECTED TO ABUSE AS SO-CALLED
"TICKING BOMB" SUSPECTS ARE RELEASED WITHOUT ANY CHARGES BEING
FILED -- INDICATING THEY ARE INNOCENT OF ANY CRIME AND HAD NO
VITAL INFORMATION TO GIVE THE AUTHORITIES.
/// BEGIN OPT ///
ISRAELI GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN FOGEL SAID ISRAEL'S HUMAN RIGHTS
DETRACTORS ARE USING A DOUBLE-STANDARD AND THAT A COUNTRY UNDER
SIEGE FROM WOULD-BE TERRORISTS CANNOT BE EXPECTED TO BEHAVE LIKE
A WESTERN COUNTRY WITH NO EXTERNAL THREATS:
//OPT// ///SECOND FOGEL ACTUALITY///
WHAT REALLY UPSETS US THAT THERE ARE TWO STANDARDS BEING
APPLIED HERE, EVEN BY AMNESTY (INTERNATIONAL). WHAT I
HAVE TO TELL YOU IS THAT WESTERN DEMOCRACIES, IN SIMILAR
SITUATIONS TO THAT WHICH ISRAEL FINDS ITSELF, HAVE USED
SIMILAR METHODS. AND I THINK THAT THE PROPER STANDARD TO
JUDGE ISRAEL IS, OF COURSE, BY WESTERN STANDARDS -- BUT
WESTERN STANDARDS WHICH APPLY IN WARTIMES. IT STRAINS
NOT JUST FAIRNESS, BUT LOGIC TO ASK ISRAEL, WHICH HAS
KNOWN ONLY WAR FOR 50 YEARS OF ITS EXISTENCE, TO ACT
LIKE A WESTERN COUNTRY AT PEACE.
///END ACT///
B'TSELEM'S EITAN FELNER -- HOWEVER -- SAID OTHER COUNTRIES HAVE
MANAGED TO UPHOLD HUMAN RIGHTS STANDARDS WHILE CONFRONTING
TERRORISTS. HE SAID THAT WHILE ISRAELI OFFICIALS DRAW A PARALLEL
BETWEEN THEIR FIGHT AGAINST PALESTINIAN TERROR AND BRITAIN'S
STRUGGLE IN NORTHERN IRELAND, BRITAIN DID NOT MAKE ABUSE OF
PRISONERS THE NORM:
/// OPT /// ///SECOND FELNER ACTUALITY///
THEY SAY, WELL ANY COUNTRY THAT'S UNDER SIEGE OR HAS
PROBLEMS OF TERRORISM USES TORTURE. WELL THIS IS PLAINLY
A LIE. IT'S PLAINLY NOT TRUE. IF YOU LOOK FOR INSTANCE
ON THE CASE THAT WAS BROUGHT TODAY OF GREAT BRITAIN. BUT
THE CASE THAT WAS BROUGHT WAS ABOUT WHAT GREAT BRITAIN
USED TO DO IN NORTHERN IRELAND IN THE 1970'S. SINCE THEN
MANY YEARS HAVE PASSED AND, UNFORTUNATELY, THERE HAVE
BEEN ALSO TERRORIST ATTACKS ALSO IN LONDON OR OTHER
PLACES. AND THERE HAVE BEEN CERTAINLY SOME CASES OF
TORTURE OR MISTREATMENT. BUT IT'S NOT AN INSTITUTION.
///END ACT/// //END OPT//
ISRAELI HUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCATES ARE EXPECTED TO MAKE THEIR CASE TO
THE HIGH COURT IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, BUT IT IS UNCLEAR WHEN OR
IF THE JUDGES WILL MAKE A RULING. //REST OPT// AMNESTY
INTERNATIONAL SAYS THE COURT SHOULD NOT FURTHER POSTPONE THE
CASE -- NOR SHOULD IT "PASS THE BUCK" TO THE KNESSET OR RULE IN
FAVOR OF PRACTICES AMOUNTING TO TORTURE. (SIGNED)
NEB/DAG/PCF/GE
13-Jan-99 9:54 AM EST (1454 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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