Demand the British government takes action on Israel's torture of Palestinian prisoners

Write to the Foreign Secretary to demand the British government uses every possible lever, including by imposing immediate sanctions, to stop Israel’s systematic torture of Palestinian prisoners.

More than 9,000 Palestinian political prisoners remain in Israeli detention, including 350 children. They face systematic torture, sexual violence and ill-treatment. On top of this, Palestinian human rights groups who have been advocating for the rights of those imprisoned are being attacked by Israel and the US, especially over submissions of evidence to the ICC. 

Write the Foreign Secretary to demand action to push for the release of Palestinians still imprisoned by Israel, immediate sanctions on Israel, and support for Palestinian human rights groups documenting and advocating for justice for those who have been detained.

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<div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW178335250 BCX8">Dear Foreign Secretary,  </div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW178335250 BCX8">I am writing to implore the British government to use every possible lever to stop Israel’s systematic torture and mistreatment of Palestinian prisoners, including by imposing comprehensive sanctions on Israel until it complies with international law. </div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW178335250 BCX8">On Wednesday 21 January, the Guardian <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/21/not-stay-silent-palestinian-prisoner-sexual-abuse-israeli-jail">reported</a> the testimony of Sami al-Saei, a Palestinian who was detained by Israel without charge or trial from February 2024 until July 2025. He describes the horrific sexual violence he faced, including being raped by Israeli soldiers, facing regular beatings, being denied medical attention and facing systemic overcrowding in an Israeli prison. It is a truly harrowing account of the most shocking abuse. </div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW178335250 BCX8">This is not an isolated case. Instead, it is indicative of a pattern of systematic torture, sexual violence and mistreatment of Palestinian political prisoners by Israel. Palestinian and international human rights organisations have documented repeatedly how Israel’s policies and treatment towards Palestinian prisoners constitute serious violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law, including multiple forms of torture, sexual violence, ill-treatment, deliberate medical neglect, arbitrary detention, and unfair trials all of which amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC). </div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW178335250 BCX8">In March 2025, a UN Commission of Inquiry <a href="https://www.un.org/unispal/document/report-of-the-commission-of-inquiry-israel-gender-based-violence-13march2025/">report</a> concluded that “Israeli detention is characterized by widespread and systematic abuse and sexual and gender-based violence.”  This week, Israeli human rights group B’Tselem released a <a href="https://www.btselem.org/publications/202601_living_hell">report</a> entitled ‘Living Hell’, which describes this “grave pattern of sexual violence in detention facilities and prisons”.  </div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW178335250 BCX8">In October 2025, Defense for Children International - Palestine <a class="Hyperlink SCXW178335250 BCX8" href="https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/15/treatybodyexternal/Download.aspx?symbolno=INT%2FCAT%2FNGO%2FISR%2F66410&Lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">submitted a report</a> to the United Nations which detailed the abuse suffered by children within the Israeli prison system. It found that 55% of children reported they were strip-searched, often multiple times, during transfer to or upon arrival at an Israeli interrogation and detention facility, and that 74% experienced physical violence from Israeli prison officers during detention.  </div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW178335250 BCX8">More than 9,000 Palestinians remain imprisoned by Israel, in the direst conditions imaginable. 350 of those imprisoned are children. More than 3,500 are being held in administrative detention, without charge or trial, renewable indefinitely. </div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW178335250 BCX8">Israel has repeatedly targeted Palestinian human rights organisations who document these issues, especially when they have done so in the form of submissions of evidence to the ICC. The United States government has issued sanctions against Palestinian human rights organisations because of their work with the ICC, including Addameer, the primary Palestinian human rights NGO advocating against torture and on behalf of the rights of prisoners. These attacks have seriously impacted their ability to work, just at the time when it is most needed. </div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW178335250 BCX8">The British government has responsibilities as a signatory to the Convention against Genocide and Torture, as well as the Geneva Conventions. It has acknowledged Israel’s grave violations of international law, including with respect to prisoners, and yet has failed to take any meaningful action to stop Israel’s torture and ill-treatment of Palestinian prisoners. The British government must: </div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW178335250 BCX8">1)      Impose comprehensive sanctions, including a full two-way arms embargo on Israel until it complies with its obligations under international law; </div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW178335250 BCX8">2)      Urge the immediate release of all Palestinians held illegally in Israeli detention; </div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW178335250 BCX8">3)      Support Palestinian human rights organisations in their work to ensure that Palestinian victims of torture and other abuse can safely submit evidence to the ICC and other relevant bodies; </div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW178335250 BCX8">4)     Issue a public statement rejecting the US government's political attacks and sanctions on the Palestinian human rights organisations Addameer, Al-Haq, PCHR and Al Mezan. </div></div>

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Demand the British government takes action on Israel's torture of Palestinian prisoners