Our police project addresses issues of police violence on the legal front as well as on a systemic level. On the legal front, we dispense legal counsel and support for individuals who were harmed by acts of police violence, providing complainants with guidance and representation throughout the complaint process with Machash [Police Internal Investigation Department]
PCATI’s lawyers represent individuals who were subjected to violence by the hands of Israeli security forces, filing complaints with state authorities on their behalf, demanding that their cases be investigated and that perpetrators of such criminal offences be indicted. In addition to representation in individual cases, PCATI also petitions to the High Court of Justice
PCATI employs one fieldworker, who receives information about detainees, interrogees and victims of violence and investigates it, while also maintaining regular contact with their families. Following the complainants’ release, our fieldworker provides support and guidance, and, where needed, refers them to rehabilitation professionals. Fieldwork often involves the work of our legal departments. Our lawyers locate
This briefing to UNCAT, from March 2016, consists of five sections: Criminalization of torture in national law; safeguards; investigation of complaints; training and the use of the Istanbul Protocol; and reparations. The documentation presented in this report derives primarily from PCATI’s monitoring activities, including frequent visits to detention centres and prison, and regular monitoring and
Torture victims require specialized legal assistance and proper documentation of their stories. Yet, the nature of torture – and its effect on the victims – may make this difficult to do. This handbook is written for lawyers and human rights advocates of different backgrounds and experiences, who want to be better prepared for meeting victims
On 26 of November 2018, Israel’s High Court of Justice decided that Mr Firas Tbeish had not been tortured. This concluded a six-year legal battle undertaken by Mr Tbeish and PCATI. This case review, published in Torture Journal in 2019, presents some of the complexities which on-the-ground anti-torture work in Israel entails. Specifically, it touches
Forensic Architecture’s investigation into the aftermath of the killing by police of Yaqub Musa Abu alQi’an finds ongoing violations: police used ‘less-lethal’ munitions against civilians, potentially including Arab politician Ayman Odeh. Later, police failed to share crucial evidence with Odeh’s lawyers. The latest iteration of our video investigation will be exhibited at New York’s Whitney
June 26th marks the International Day in Support of Torture Victims. To commemorate the event, PCATI issued a situation report, reflecting difficulties, obstacles and failings in the system, as well as testimonies of victims of tortures by Israeli security forces, namely the Shin Bet. The report paints a dismal picture of reality, at the same
On June 26, the world marks the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture. Our annual situation report exposes the reality in Israel, where torture is illegal yet continues to take place regularly. Download our 2019 situation report.
On June 26, the world marks the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture. Some think of torture as a bygone phenomenon, or at least one which no longer exists in countries that consider themselves advanced; but the reality, unfortunately, is very different. In Israel alone, 2020 saw a sharp increase in the number
