https://observatoryfordefenders.org/es/ Mon, 04 May 2026 11:14:41 +0000 es-ES hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 https://observatoryfordefenders.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/cropped-OB-eye-orange-32x32.png https://observatoryfordefenders.org/es/ 32 32 https://observatoryfordefenders.org/es/alert/israel-greece-raid-by-israeli-forces-on-global-sumud-flotilla-off-crete/ Thu, 30 Apr 2026 11:09:59 +0000 https://observatoryfordefenders.org/?post_type=alert&p=24679 In the early hours of 30 April 2026, the Israeli Navy intercepted vessels of the Global Sumud Flotilla sailing off the coast of Crete carrying humanitarian aid. The Hellenic League for Human Rights (HLHR), the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), within the framework of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, denounce this raid and call on the Israeli authorities to immediately release all the activists illegally detained, and call on the Greek authorities to act immediately to secure the activists’ safe release.   Athens-Paris-Geneva, 30 April 2026 - The assaults, interceptions of vessels, seizures, abductions, enforced disappearances of activists, and damage inflicted by Israeli naval forces on the vessels of the humanitarian mission, as reported based on available information, constitute serious unlawful acts in international waters, as they undermine the internationally protected freedom of navigation and endanger human life, in breach of international maritime law obligations, including under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the 1974 SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea) Convention and the 1979 SAR Convention. It is a primary obligation of the Greek authorities to provide assistance to persons in distress within their Search and Rescue (SAR) zone and to conduct the necessary rescue operations to prevent risks to human life and ensure maritime safety, as well as to ensure that survivors are disembarked at a place of safety where their basic needs are met. While, according to available information, the vessels of the humanitarian mission had repeatedly issued distress signals (SOS), no rescue operation appears, at this stage, to have been undertaken by the Hellenic Coast Guard. Humanitarian flotilla missions operate within the framework of international humanitarian law, under which vessels carrying humanitarian aid, when not participating in hostilities, retain protected status, as well as under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which guarantees freedom of navigation on the high seas. In conjunction with binding United Nations Security Council resolutions requiring the removal of obstacles to humanitarian assistance, such missions constitute legally grounded efforts to provide aid to civilian populations. It should be noted that the ongoing genocide in Gaza, alongside the blockade, which has been going on for almost 20 years, affecting the entire population, are prohibited under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, the Hague Conventions and Article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, as well as other instruments of humanitarian law. The attack against the Global Sumud Flotilla by Israeli forces, 650 nautical miles from the Gaza Strip, off Crete, on the high seas and within the Greek SAR zone, constitutes a continuation of Israel’s unlawful actions, in violation of international criminal law and international humanitarian law provisions concerning the unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid and the prohibition of starvation of civilians. It also gravely infringes the fundamental human rights of the disappeared activists, including the right to life, the prohibition of torture and other ill-treatment, the right to a fair trial, and the right to humane conditions of detention. The Hellenic League for Human Rights (HLHR), the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), within the framework of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, stress the obligation of the Greek authorities to carry out rescue operations and to ensure the protection of human life at sea. Greece cannot remain in a position of inaction. Silence or passivity in the face of such practices is not a neutral stance; it fosters impunity, weakens international law, and politically and institutionally exposes those states that choose not to act. The signatory organisations urgently call on the Israeli authorities to guarantee, in all circumstances, the physical integrity and psychological well-being of all the peaceful activists arrested and to immediately and unconditionally release all those illegally detained. HLHR and the Observatory further urge the Israeli authorities to refrain from any further harassment or intimidation against human rights defenders, whether domestic or international, who seek to denounce the ongoing genocide in Gaza and to uphold the human rights of all Palestinians. The signatory organisations call on the Greek government to act immediately: to seek full clarification from the Israeli authorities, to demand the safe release and protection of the members of the mission, to activate all available diplomatic and legal means, and to formally inform the competent international bodies of the incident that took place within Greece’s Search and Rescue area of responsibility. They further call on the competent international and European bodies to intervene without delay to investigate the events, ensure the protection of the mission’s members, and guarantee the respect of international law and international maritime In the early hours of 30 April 2026, the Israeli Navy intercepted vessels of the Global Sumud Flotilla sailing off the coast of Crete carrying humanitarian aid. The Hellenic League for Human Rights (HLHR), the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), within the framework of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, denounce this raid and call on the Israeli authorities to immediately release all the activists illegally detained, and call on the Greek authorities to act immediately to secure the activists’ safe release.   Athens-Paris-Geneva, 30 April 2026 - The assaults, interceptions of vessels, seizures, abductions, enforced disappearances of activists, and damage inflicted by Israeli naval forces on the vessels of the humanitarian mission, as reported based on available information, constitute serious unlawful acts in international waters, as they undermine the internationally protected freedom of navigation and endanger human life, in breach of international maritime law obligations, including under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the 1974 SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea) Convention and the 1979 SAR Convention. It is a primary obligation of the Greek authorities to provide assistance to persons in distress within their Search and Rescue (SAR) zone and to conduct the necessary rescue operations to prevent risks to human life and ensure maritime safety, as well as to ensure that survivors are disembarked at a place of safety where their basic needs are met. While, according to available information, the vessels of the humanitarian mission had repeatedly issued distress signals (SOS), no rescue operation appears, at this stage, to have been undertaken by the Hellenic Coast Guard. Humanitarian flotilla missions operate within the framework of international humanitarian law, under which vessels carrying humanitarian aid, when not participating in hostilities, retain protected status, as well as under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which guarantees freedom of navigation on the high seas. In conjunction with binding United Nations Security Council resolutions requiring the removal of obstacles to humanitarian assistance, such missions constitute legally grounded efforts to provide aid to civilian populations. It should be noted that the ongoing genocide in Gaza, alongside the blockade, which has been going on for almost 20 years, affecting the entire population, are prohibited under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, the Hague Conventions and Article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, as well as other instruments of humanitarian law. The attack against the Global Sumud Flotilla by Israeli forces, 650 nautical miles from the Gaza Strip, off Crete, on the high seas and within the Greek SAR zone, constitutes a continuation of Israel’s unlawful actions, in violation of international criminal law and international humanitarian law provisions concerning the unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid and the prohibition of starvation of civilians. It also gravely infringes the fundamental human rights of the disappeared activists, including the right to life, the prohibition of torture and other ill-treatment, the right to a fair trial, and the right to humane conditions of detention. The Hellenic League for Human Rights (HLHR), the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), within the framework of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, stress the obligation of the Greek authorities to carry out rescue operations and to ensure the protection of human life at sea. Greece cannot remain in a position of inaction. Silence or passivity in the face of such practices is not a neutral stance; it fosters impunity, weakens international law, and politically and institutionally exposes those states that choose not to act. The signatory organisations urgently call on the Israeli authorities to guarantee, in all circumstances, the physical integrity and psychological well-being of all the peaceful activists arrested and to immediately and unconditionally release all those illegally detained. HLHR and the Observatory further urge the Israeli authorities to refrain from any further harassment or intimidation against human rights defenders, whether domestic or international, who seek to denounce the ongoing genocide in Gaza and to uphold the human rights of all Palestinians. The signatory organisations call on the Greek government to act immediately: to seek full clarification from the Israeli authorities, to demand the safe release and protection of the members of the mission, to activate all available diplomatic and legal means, and to formally inform the competent international bodies of the incident that took place within Greece’s Search and Rescue area of responsibility. They further call on the competent international and European bodies to intervene without delay to investigate the events, ensure the protection of the mission’s members, and guarantee the respect of international law and international maritime law and the unimpeded provision of humanitarian aid to the civilian population of Gaza.]]> In the early hours of 30 April 2026, the Israeli Navy intercepted vessels of the Global Sumud Flotilla sailing off the coast of Crete carrying humanitarian aid. The Hellenic League for Human Rights (HLHR), the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), within the framework of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, denounce this raid and call on the Israeli authorities to immediately release all the activists illegally detained, and call on the Greek authorities to act immediately to secure the activists’ safe release.   Athens-Paris-Geneva, 30 April 2026 - The assaults, interceptions of vessels, seizures, abductions, enforced disappearances of activists, and damage inflicted by Israeli naval forces on the vessels of the humanitarian mission, as reported based on available information, constitute serious unlawful acts in international waters, as they undermine the internationally protected freedom of navigation and endanger human life, in breach of international maritime law obligations, including under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the 1974 SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea) Convention and the 1979 SAR Convention. It is a primary obligation of the Greek authorities to provide assistance to persons in distress within their Search and Rescue (SAR) zone and to conduct the necessary rescue operations to prevent risks to human life and ensure maritime safety, as well as to ensure that survivors are disembarked at a place of safety where their basic needs are met. While, according to available information, the vessels of the humanitarian mission had repeatedly issued distress signals (SOS), no rescue operation appears, at this stage, to have been undertaken by the Hellenic Coast Guard. Humanitarian flotilla missions operate within the framework of international humanitarian law, under which vessels carrying humanitarian aid, when not participating in hostilities, retain protected status, as well as under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which guarantees freedom of navigation on the high seas. In conjunction with binding United Nations Security Council resolutions requiring the removal of obstacles to humanitarian assistance, such missions constitute legally grounded efforts to provide aid to civilian populations. It should be noted that the ongoing genocide in Gaza, alongside the blockade, which has been going on for almost 20 years, affecting the entire population, are prohibited under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, the Hague Conventions and Article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, as well as other instruments of humanitarian law. The attack against the Global Sumud Flotilla by Israeli forces, 650 nautical miles from the Gaza Strip, off Crete, on the high seas and within the Greek SAR zone, constitutes a continuation of Israel’s unlawful actions, in violation of international criminal law and international humanitarian law provisions concerning the unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid and the prohibition of starvation of civilians. It also gravely infringes the fundamental human rights of the disappeared activists, including the right to life, the prohibition of torture and other ill-treatment, the right to a fair trial, and the right to humane conditions of detention. The Hellenic League for Human Rights (HLHR), the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), within the framework of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, stress the obligation of the Greek authorities to carry out rescue operations and to ensure the protection of human life at sea. Greece cannot remain in a position of inaction. Silence or passivity in the face of such practices is not a neutral stance; it fosters impunity, weakens international law, and politically and institutionally exposes those states that choose not to act. The signatory organisations urgently call on the Israeli authorities to guarantee, in all circumstances, the physical integrity and psychological well-being of all the peaceful activists arrested and to immediately and unconditionally release all those illegally detained. HLHR and the Observatory further urge the Israeli authorities to refrain from any further harassment or intimidation against human rights defenders, whether domestic or international, who seek to denounce the ongoing genocide in Gaza and to uphold the human rights of all Palestinians. The signatory organisations call on the Greek government to act immediately: to seek full clarification from the Israeli authorities, to demand the safe release and protection of the members of the mission, to activate all available diplomatic and legal means, and to formally inform the competent international bodies of the incident that took place within Greece’s Search and Rescue area of responsibility. They further call on the competent international and European bodies to intervene without delay to investigate the events, ensure the protection of the mission’s members, and guarantee the respect of international law and international maritime In the early hours of 30 April 2026, the Israeli Navy intercepted vessels of the Global Sumud Flotilla sailing off the coast of Crete carrying humanitarian aid. The Hellenic League for Human Rights (HLHR), the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), within the framework of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, denounce this raid and call on the Israeli authorities to immediately release all the activists illegally detained, and call on the Greek authorities to act immediately to secure the activists’ safe release.   Athens-Paris-Geneva, 30 April 2026 - The assaults, interceptions of vessels, seizures, abductions, enforced disappearances of activists, and damage inflicted by Israeli naval forces on the vessels of the humanitarian mission, as reported based on available information, constitute serious unlawful acts in international waters, as they undermine the internationally protected freedom of navigation and endanger human life, in breach of international maritime law obligations, including under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the 1974 SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea) Convention and the 1979 SAR Convention. It is a primary obligation of the Greek authorities to provide assistance to persons in distress within their Search and Rescue (SAR) zone and to conduct the necessary rescue operations to prevent risks to human life and ensure maritime safety, as well as to ensure that survivors are disembarked at a place of safety where their basic needs are met. While, according to available information, the vessels of the humanitarian mission had repeatedly issued distress signals (SOS), no rescue operation appears, at this stage, to have been undertaken by the Hellenic Coast Guard. Humanitarian flotilla missions operate within the framework of international humanitarian law, under which vessels carrying humanitarian aid, when not participating in hostilities, retain protected status, as well as under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which guarantees freedom of navigation on the high seas. In conjunction with binding United Nations Security Council resolutions requiring the removal of obstacles to humanitarian assistance, such missions constitute legally grounded efforts to provide aid to civilian populations. It should be noted that the ongoing genocide in Gaza, alongside the blockade, which has been going on for almost 20 years, affecting the entire population, are prohibited under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, the Hague Conventions and Article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, as well as other instruments of humanitarian law. The attack against the Global Sumud Flotilla by Israeli forces, 650 nautical miles from the Gaza Strip, off Crete, on the high seas and within the Greek SAR zone, constitutes a continuation of Israel’s unlawful actions, in violation of international criminal law and international humanitarian law provisions concerning the unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid and the prohibition of starvation of civilians. It also gravely infringes the fundamental human rights of the disappeared activists, including the right to life, the prohibition of torture and other ill-treatment, the right to a fair trial, and the right to humane conditions of detention. The Hellenic League for Human Rights (HLHR), the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), within the framework of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, stress the obligation of the Greek authorities to carry out rescue operations and to ensure the protection of human life at sea. Greece cannot remain in a position of inaction. Silence or passivity in the face of such practices is not a neutral stance; it fosters impunity, weakens international law, and politically and institutionally exposes those states that choose not to act. The signatory organisations urgently call on the Israeli authorities to guarantee, in all circumstances, the physical integrity and psychological well-being of all the peaceful activists arrested and to immediately and unconditionally release all those illegally detained. HLHR and the Observatory further urge the Israeli authorities to refrain from any further harassment or intimidation against human rights defenders, whether domestic or international, who seek to denounce the ongoing genocide in Gaza and to uphold the human rights of all Palestinians. The signatory organisations call on the Greek government to act immediately: to seek full clarification from the Israeli authorities, to demand the safe release and protection of the members of the mission, to activate all available diplomatic and legal means, and to formally inform the competent international bodies of the incident that took place within Greece’s Search and Rescue area of responsibility. They further call on the competent international and European bodies to intervene without delay to investigate the events, ensure the protection of the mission’s members, and guarantee the respect of international law and international maritime law and the unimpeded provision of humanitarian aid to the civilian population of Gaza.]]> https://observatoryfordefenders.org/es/alert/israel-palestine-the-observatory-condemns-the-arbitrary-detention-and-ill-treatment-of-activists-aboard-the-global-sumud-flotilla-in-israeli-prisons/ Thu, 09 Oct 2025 10:00:24 +0000 https://observatoryfordefenders.org/?post_type=alert&p=24051 Geneva-Paris, 8 October 2025. 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.]]> Geneva-Paris, 8 October 2025. 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.]]> https://observatoryfordefenders.org/es/alert/israel-palestine-illegal-interception-of-the-sumud-flotilla-and-arrest-of-peaceful-activists/ Thu, 02 Oct 2025 07:21:08 +0000 https://observatoryfordefenders.org/?post_type=alert&p=24038 Paris-Geneva, 2 October 2025 – Today, the Sumud Flotilla for Freedom, carrying humanitarian aid for Gaza and composed by international human rights defenders and activists committed to non-violent action, was violently boarded in international waters by the Israeli army. Hundreds of peaceful activists on board were kidnapped and illegaly arrested, including two International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) Vice-Presidents. The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (a partnership of FIDH and OMCT) strongly condemns the unlawful interception of the Sumud Flotilla and calls on the Israeli authorities to immediately and unconditionally release all those detained. The Observatory also calls on the governments of the detainees’ countries of origin to take all necessary diplomatic measures to put pressure on Israel to immediately release their nationals. During the night of 1st to 2nd October, 2025, the Israeli army violently intercepted the boats composing the Sumud Flotilla -a non-violent humanitarian initiative aimed at breaking the siege and delivering food and medical supplies to Gaza- in international waters. The peaceful activists on board of the vessels were illegaly arrested -as Israel has no legal authority in international waters- and their boats taken to the port of Ashdod. Two FIDH Vice-Presidents : Alexis Deswaef from Belgium and Aziz Rhali from Morroco, were among the participants and are now part of the detainees, along with many other participants of the flotilla. According to the Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel (Adalah), the hearings began early in the morning of 2 October, in the absence of lawyers. It was only at 4 p.m. that day that Adalah's lawyers were able to gain access to the activists and begin to accompany them. The Observatory recalls that the arbitrary arrest and detention of individuals engaging in peaceful human rights activities constitutes a flagrant violation of international human rights law, including the rights to liberty, freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and association. It further underscores that such actions form part of a broader pattern of repression aimed at silencing voices that expose the ongoing genocide in Gaza and challenge Israel’s crimes and gross violations of international humanitarian law. The Observatory urgently calls on the Israeli authorities to guarantee, in all circumstances, the physical integrity and psychological well-being of all the peaceful activists arrested and to immediately and unconditionally release all those illegally detained, including the two FIDH Vice-Presidents. The Observatory further requests the Israeli authorities to refrain from any further harassment or intimidation against human rights defenders, whether domestic or international, who seek to denounce the ongoing genocide in Gaza and to uphold the human rights of all Palestinians. The Observatory also calls on the governments of the detainees’ countries of origin -around 45 countries were represented among the participants of the Sumud Flotilla- to deploy all necessary diplomatic actions in order to put pressure on Israel to immediately release their nationals. The Observatory reaffirms its solidarity with all defenders who, through peaceful means, continue to stand for justice, dignity and human rights, and stresses that the international community must hold Israel accountable for its persistent violations of international law. The Observatory will continue to monitor this situation closely and mobilise all available mechanisms to ensure that those arbitrarily detained are immediately freed and able to continue their legitimate human rights work without fear of reprisal.]]> Paris-Geneva, 2 October 2025 – Today, the Sumud Flotilla for Freedom, carrying humanitarian aid for Gaza and composed by international human rights defenders and activists committed to non-violent action, was violently boarded in international waters by the Israeli army. Hundreds of peaceful activists on board were kidnapped and illegaly arrested, including two International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) Vice-Presidents. The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (a partnership of FIDH and OMCT) strongly condemns the unlawful interception of the Sumud Flotilla and calls on the Israeli authorities to immediately and unconditionally release all those detained. The Observatory also calls on the governments of the detainees’ countries of origin to take all necessary diplomatic measures to put pressure on Israel to immediately release their nationals. During the night of 1st to 2nd October, 2025, the Israeli army violently intercepted the boats composing the Sumud Flotilla -a non-violent humanitarian initiative aimed at breaking the siege and delivering food and medical supplies to Gaza- in international waters. The peaceful activists on board of the vessels were illegaly arrested -as Israel has no legal authority in international waters- and their boats taken to the port of Ashdod. Two FIDH Vice-Presidents : Alexis Deswaef from Belgium and Aziz Rhali from Morroco, were among the participants and are now part of the detainees, along with many other participants of the flotilla. According to the Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel (Adalah), the hearings began early in the morning of 2 October, in the absence of lawyers. It was only at 4 p.m. that day that Adalah's lawyers were able to gain access to the activists and begin to accompany them. The Observatory recalls that the arbitrary arrest and detention of individuals engaging in peaceful human rights activities constitutes a flagrant violation of international human rights law, including the rights to liberty, freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and association. It further underscores that such actions form part of a broader pattern of repression aimed at silencing voices that expose the ongoing genocide in Gaza and challenge Israel’s crimes and gross violations of international humanitarian law. The Observatory urgently calls on the Israeli authorities to guarantee, in all circumstances, the physical integrity and psychological well-being of all the peaceful activists arrested and to immediately and unconditionally release all those illegally detained, including the two FIDH Vice-Presidents. The Observatory further requests the Israeli authorities to refrain from any further harassment or intimidation against human rights defenders, whether domestic or international, who seek to denounce the ongoing genocide in Gaza and to uphold the human rights of all Palestinians. The Observatory also calls on the governments of the detainees’ countries of origin -around 45 countries were represented among the participants of the Sumud Flotilla- to deploy all necessary diplomatic actions in order to put pressure on Israel to immediately release their nationals. The Observatory reaffirms its solidarity with all defenders who, through peaceful means, continue to stand for justice, dignity and human rights, and stresses that the international community must hold Israel accountable for its persistent violations of international law. The Observatory will continue to monitor this situation closely and mobilise all available mechanisms to ensure that those arbitrarily detained are immediately freed and able to continue their legitimate human rights work without fear of reprisal.]]>