Marwan Barghouti Suffers Torture in Prison, According to LAW

RAMALLAH: Marwan Barghouti, member of the Palestinian Legistlative Council was visited by members of the LAW society on May 21. At that visit, LAW determined that Mr. Barghouti is suffering torture at the hands of the Israelis.

According to LAW, Yesterday Barghouti was taken to the prison clinic. He suffers from pain in his back and hands, caused by position abuse. Barghouti's hands and legs are shackled to a small chair, angled to slant forward so that he cannot sit in a stable position. Due to nails sticking out of the chair on which is he is forced to sit for prolonged hours his back is bleeding. This position abuse, also known as 'shabeh' is the most common method of physical abuse applied by the Israeli General Security Service ('Shin Bet').

Acccording to LAW, Barghouti is held in solitary confined and is deprived of sleep for twenty hours a day since he was transferred to the Russian Compound. LAW stated that abusive body positioning, and sleep deprivation are common tactics used by the Israeli General Security Service, for they undermine a detainee's concentration and self-control.