UN Expert Warns of Torture Becoming a 'State Doctrine' in Israel and the Use of Prisons as Tools for Systematic Repression

SadaNews - Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories since 1967, warned that the systematic torture practiced by Israel against Palestinians has become a central tool in ongoing gross violations, amidst what she described as a long-standing impunity and political cover.

In a report presented to the UN Human Rights Council, Albanese said:
"Since the beginning of the recent escalation, the Israeli prison system has devolved into what resembles a laboratory for cruel and deliberate practices."

She added: "What used to be practiced in secrecy has today become public: a system based on humiliation, pain, and systematic humiliation, enjoying approval at the highest political levels."

Albanese pointed out that policies adopted by Israeli officials, including Itamar Ben Gvir, have contributed to entrenching practices of torture and collective punishment, alongside detention conditions she described as inhumane.

She emphasized that these violations "cannot be justified even in times of war," calling for accountability for those responsible, including before the International Criminal Court.

According to the report, since October 2023, more than 18,500 Palestinians have been arrested in the occupied territories, including at least 1,500 children, while thousands remain in detention without charges or trials, with cases of enforced disappearances and the death of around 100 detainees during custody recorded.

The report also documented the torture of detainees, including severe beatings, starvation, humiliation, and other forms of inhumane treatment.

In 2025, the UN Committee Against Torture expressed concern over what it described as "an actual policy of widespread and systematic torture and ill-treatment," noting the worsening of these practices since October 2023.

Albanese warned: "A system that has long been used to subjugate and humiliate Palestinians has evolved into what resembles a firm state doctrine," adding that these policies "are defended by political entities, justified by legal institutions, and overlooked by governments that continue to provide support to Israel."

The report noted that these practices are not limited to prisons but extend to a "harsh coercive environment" that includes bombardment, forcible displacement, and the destruction of homes and infrastructure in Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem.

She concluded by affirming that "international law is clear: torture is absolutely prohibited without any exception," calling for an immediate end to these practices, ensuring accountability, and allowing access for international monitors and human rights organizations.