https://observatoryfordefenders.org/fr/ Thu, 09 Oct 2025 10:00:24 +0000 fr-FR 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/fr/ 32 32 https://observatoryfordefenders.org/fr/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/fr/alert/israel-palestine-calls-for-the-protection-of-humanitarian-activists-sailing-to-gaza-aboard-all-the-global-sumud-flotilla/ Thu, 11 Sep 2025 17:26:54 +0000 https://observatoryfordefenders.org/?post_type=alert&p=23945 According to reports, more than 50 boats of humanitarian activists from the Global Sumud Flotilla - coordinated by the Maghreb Sumud Flotilla, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, Global Movement to Gaza, and the Sumud Nusantara - sailed to Gaza on 31st of August 2025, departing from Barcelona. They aim to deliver urgent humanitarian aid to the besieged population in Gaza. Israeli authorities have consistently intercepted vessels attempting to breach the blockade, redirecting them to Israeli ports and detaining humanitarian activists on board. The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (a partnership of FIDH and OMCT) expresses deep concern for the safety of all the human rights defenders and humanitarian activists aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla vessels sailing to Gaza and calls on the Israeli authorities to take every possible measure to guarantee the opening of a safe and continuous humanitarian corridor to Gaza. Paris-Geneva, 11 September 2025 - Following its initial departure from the port of Barcelona on 31st of August 2025, the Global Sumud Flotilla launched more than 60 boats carrying humanitarian workers, medical professionals, and humanitarian activists volunteering from different disciplines across at least 50 countries. It resumed its voyage, with Tunisia as its first destination and a scheduled departure from there on 11 or 12 September 2025. The volunteers aboard are carrying vital food and medical supplies, seeking to provide much-needed relief to the people of Gaza, who have endured nearly 18 years of blockade. They are joining forces to challenge Israel's ongoing blockade, which has resulted in severe famine and critical shortages of supplies in Gaza. The situation is further exacerbated by reports of two suspected drone attacks against Global Sumud Flotilla vessels. On 8 September 2025, while docked at Sidi Bou Said port in Tunisia, the flotilla’s “Family Boat” is said to have come under fire from above. Video footage released by the organisers appears to show an aerial incendiary device descending onto the deck and igniting a blaze, which was later extinguished by the crew. Tunisian authorities initially denied any strike, attributing the fire to an onboard accident. On 9 September 2025, the British-flagged vessel “Alma” appears to have been similarly targeted. Witnesses and video recordings document an unmanned aerial vehicle dropping what looks like an incendiary munition onto the deck, causing a brief fire that crew members quickly extinguished. The Tunisian authorities have confirmed that this was an assault and that an investigation has been launched. The Observatory strongly condemns any drone attacks against humanitarian vessels, which represent acts of aggression and calls for a thorough and impartial investigation, along with accountability measures, to prevent further violations. The Observatory is acutely alarmed by Israel's well-documented pattern of intercepting humanitarian flotillas in international waters, in violation of international maritime law. Other incidents include the interception by Israeli forces on 9 June 2025, of the Madleen, operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, with the detention of humanitarian workers on board. This interception follows similar events predating the launch of the Freedom Flotilla in 2010, when Israel killed and injured humanitarians in an attack on international waters. Such Israeli actions against people pursuing humanitarian missions constitute violations of established international humanitarian law. The Observatory is concerned that Israeli authorities may again intercept the Global Sumud Flotilla, potentially subjecting the volunteers on board to illegal arrest, detention and ill-treatment. This would delay breaking the siege and directly prevent the people of Gaza from receiving urgently needed food, medical supplies, and other essential assistance, thereby further aggravating the already dire humanitarian situation. In light of these grave risks, the Observatory further calls on the Government of Israel to allow the Global Sumud Flotilla safe passage to Gaza, refraining from any violent interception or arbitrary detention, and guaranteeing the protection of all humanitarian volunteers on board in full accordance with international law. The Observatory further recalls Israel’s legal obligations under international human rights law and international humanitarian law to end the blockade of Gaza by allowing safe, direct, and unrestricted access to aid and by ensuring the opening of a safe and continuous humanitarian corridor that guarantees civilians unimpeded access to essential aid. The Observatory affirms the right to engage in peaceful and non-violent humanitarian initiatives such as the Global Sumud Flotilla, which is dedicated to delivering aid, and stands in solidarity with the volunteers on board. It also urges the international community to take action for their protection by enhancing protective visibility through social media, press releases, diplomatic protection, and other public advocacy that highlight both the humanitarian and peaceful nature of the voyage, as well as the imperative to safeguard the fundamental rights of those on board and of the people of Gaza.]]> According to reports, more than 50 boats of humanitarian activists from the Global Sumud Flotilla - coordinated by the Maghreb Sumud Flotilla, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, Global Movement to Gaza, and the Sumud Nusantara - sailed to Gaza on 31st of August 2025, departing from Barcelona. They aim to deliver urgent humanitarian aid to the besieged population in Gaza. Israeli authorities have consistently intercepted vessels attempting to breach the blockade, redirecting them to Israeli ports and detaining humanitarian activists on board. The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (a partnership of FIDH and OMCT) expresses deep concern for the safety of all the human rights defenders and humanitarian activists aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla vessels sailing to Gaza and calls on the Israeli authorities to take every possible measure to guarantee the opening of a safe and continuous humanitarian corridor to Gaza. Paris-Geneva, 11 September 2025 - Following its initial departure from the port of Barcelona on 31st of August 2025, the Global Sumud Flotilla launched more than 60 boats carrying humanitarian workers, medical professionals, and humanitarian activists volunteering from different disciplines across at least 50 countries. It resumed its voyage, with Tunisia as its first destination and a scheduled departure from there on 11 or 12 September 2025. The volunteers aboard are carrying vital food and medical supplies, seeking to provide much-needed relief to the people of Gaza, who have endured nearly 18 years of blockade. They are joining forces to challenge Israel's ongoing blockade, which has resulted in severe famine and critical shortages of supplies in Gaza. The situation is further exacerbated by reports of two suspected drone attacks against Global Sumud Flotilla vessels. On 8 September 2025, while docked at Sidi Bou Said port in Tunisia, the flotilla’s “Family Boat” is said to have come under fire from above. Video footage released by the organisers appears to show an aerial incendiary device descending onto the deck and igniting a blaze, which was later extinguished by the crew. Tunisian authorities initially denied any strike, attributing the fire to an onboard accident. On 9 September 2025, the British-flagged vessel “Alma” appears to have been similarly targeted. Witnesses and video recordings document an unmanned aerial vehicle dropping what looks like an incendiary munition onto the deck, causing a brief fire that crew members quickly extinguished. The Tunisian authorities have confirmed that this was an assault and that an investigation has been launched. The Observatory strongly condemns any drone attacks against humanitarian vessels, which represent acts of aggression and calls for a thorough and impartial investigation, along with accountability measures, to prevent further violations. The Observatory is acutely alarmed by Israel's well-documented pattern of intercepting humanitarian flotillas in international waters, in violation of international maritime law. Other incidents include the interception by Israeli forces on 9 June 2025, of the Madleen, operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, with the detention of humanitarian workers on board. This interception follows similar events predating the launch of the Freedom Flotilla in 2010, when Israel killed and injured humanitarians in an attack on international waters. Such Israeli actions against people pursuing humanitarian missions constitute violations of established international humanitarian law. The Observatory is concerned that Israeli authorities may again intercept the Global Sumud Flotilla, potentially subjecting the volunteers on board to illegal arrest, detention and ill-treatment. This would delay breaking the siege and directly prevent the people of Gaza from receiving urgently needed food, medical supplies, and other essential assistance, thereby further aggravating the already dire humanitarian situation. In light of these grave risks, the Observatory further calls on the Government of Israel to allow the Global Sumud Flotilla safe passage to Gaza, refraining from any violent interception or arbitrary detention, and guaranteeing the protection of all humanitarian volunteers on board in full accordance with international law. The Observatory further recalls Israel’s legal obligations under international human rights law and international humanitarian law to end the blockade of Gaza by allowing safe, direct, and unrestricted access to aid and by ensuring the opening of a safe and continuous humanitarian corridor that guarantees civilians unimpeded access to essential aid. The Observatory affirms the right to engage in peaceful and non-violent humanitarian initiatives such as the Global Sumud Flotilla, which is dedicated to delivering aid, and stands in solidarity with the volunteers on board. It also urges the international community to take action for their protection by enhancing protective visibility through social media, press releases, diplomatic protection, and other public advocacy that highlight both the humanitarian and peaceful nature of the voyage, as well as the imperative to safeguard the fundamental rights of those on board and of the people of Gaza.]]>