Human rights group condemns Israeli detention of Lebanese
Regional-Israel, Politics, 10/15/1997

An international human rights watchdog organization has denounced Israel for holding 21 Lebanese in what it described as "illegal detention."

The US-based Human Rights Watch released a report published Tuesday saying all 21 Lebanese prisoners have been held for years without charge or trial, adding some of them have been subjected to torture. The report criticized Israel for failing to provide them any status under international law.

The report said the 21 are among an estimated 120 prisoners and detainees from Arab countries and Iran in Israeli prisons.

"Human Rights Watch urges Israel to end its arbitrary detention of 21 Lebanese who have been imprisoned inside Israel for years," the report said.

The report specifically mentioned Sheik Abel Karim Obeid and Mustafa Dirani, both leaders of the Shiite Muslim Hizbullah guerrilla group who were kidnapped from their homes in south Lebanon in 1989 and 1994, respectively. The report called on Israel to "end their status as hostages immediately."

Both Obeid and Dirani have been denied Red Cross visits and family visits. Israel has occupied, since 1985, a border strip in south Lebanon which it calls a "security zone," in an effort to prevent cross-border guerrilla attacks on its northern towns. Hizbullah has been fighting to oust the Israeli troops and their militia allies from the zone.

The report said a number of prisoners are also being held under administrative detention--a system in which they are held without charge for renewable periods of up to six months. Some prisoners have been in administrative detention for up to nine years, it said.

Human Rights Watch said prisoners were denied legal aid and visits by the Red Cross during the first 12 days of detention. It also said that hearings were held in closed sessions, lawyers for the prisoners were subject to gag orders, and family visits were allowed only rarely and sometimes not at all.

In July, Amnesty International issued a similar report criticizing Israel's treatment of Lebanese detainees.

Previous Stories:
  Lahd says Israeli withdrawal could cause SLA troops to join Hizbullah   (10/14/1997)
  Four civilians snatched in their sleep by Israelis   (10/6/1997)
  Khiam torture more frequent   (10/1/1997)

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