Swiss flotilla activists face ‘cruel, inhumane, and degrading treatment’ in Israeli detention, their group claims

GENEVA, Switzerland — Swiss participants in the flotilla that tried to break through the Israeli maritime blockade on Gaza have faced “cruel, inhumane, and degrading treatment” in Israeli detention, their organization says.

The Waves of Freedom Switzerland organization claims Israel had conducted “illegal and shameful attacks on the humanitarian and peaceful flotillas,” followed by “equally illegal arrests and detentions.”

“It subjected our citizens to cruel, inhumane, and degrading treatment, as defined in the International Convention against Torture, both physically and psychologically,” says the group, which goes by the acronym WOFA.

Nineteen Swiss nationals took part in the Global Sumud Flotilla, which aimed to break the blockade that aims to prevent arms from reaching Hamas and other terror groups.

While nine Swiss nationals have been released, 10 are still detained, WOFA says.

They are expected to be released today, it says, adding: “We remain cautious in the face of a state that has long since abandoned any respect for the rule of law.”

Israel has denied allegations of abuse and has insisted that the legal rights of the detainees were fully respected.

But WOFA says those released had described “sleep deprivation, lack of access to water and food, lack of medical care, and verbal and psychological abuse.”

Some, it says, “were kept handcuffed for long hours without any justification,” while others “were slapped, beaten, and locked in a cage.”

In addition, “all medical treatments have been denied, including essential medicines like insulin for diabetes,” it charges.

Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.