Gaza flotilla Bangladeshi activist reports Israeli abuse in detention
(MENAFN) Bangladeshi photographer and human rights advocate Shahidul Alam reported on Saturday that Israeli forces attacked the Gaza flotilla he was aboard and detained activists, subjecting them to torture.
Alam participated in the Freedom Flotilla Coalition to Gaza, which aimed to break Israel’s blockade on the enclave and deliver humanitarian aid. He recounted his experiences during a news conference in Dhaka after returning home with the assistance of the Turkish government. He noted that many fellow activists remain imprisoned in Israel.
As managing director of a Dhaka-based independent media organization, Alam said mental torment was the primary form of punishment imposed by Israeli authorities. Late at night, he said, prison cells were stormed by soldiers armed with machine guns, causing panic.
“They made loud noises, shouted to stand up or give other orders and tried to create panic. One of our fellow humanitarians was also threatened with being shot, claiming to be a Hamas supporter,” Alam said.
He described further humiliation upon disembarking the ship: “When we got off the ship, we were taken with our hands tied behind our backs and we were made to kneel down in a cell where the Israeli force members just urinated,” he said. “The worst thing for me was that they took my passport and threw it on the ground repeatedly. It was a big blow for me.”
Alam emphasized that Bangladesh does not recognize Israel. He added, “We have made a ‘blueprint’ before we return, and we have decided that we will go again and a thousand ships will go,” referring to the group’s determination to continue their humanitarian missions. Alam was detained on Wednesday along with 150 other aid activists.
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