Palestine and Spain host UN event on Palestinian prisoner rights

The missions of Palestine and Spain to the United Nations co-hosted an event at the Human Rights Council in Geneva to address the detention conditions and human rights violations affecting Palestinian prisoners.

During the session, Spanish Permanent Representative Ambassador Marcos Gomez emphasized that respect for international humanitarian law is mandatory. Neil Tobin, Deputy Representative of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, described the situation of Palestinian detainees as ‘horrific,’ noting that occupation policies pose grave risks to their lives and safety. He called for immediate, unhindered access to detention sites and independent investigations into deaths in custody.

UN Special Rapporteur on torture, Paul Pérez-Salas, stated that evidence of torture and ill-treatment against Palestinians has been documented since the 1970s. He warned that Israel’s non-compliance with international law is a dangerous situation that cannot be ignored, noting concerning indicators of declining respect for human dignity within Israeli society.