Bethlehem: Palestinian detainee Mahmoud Hassan Al-Wardian was reportedly subjected to an execution attempt inside Israeli investigation cells before his release in critical condition, as stated by the Palestinian Prisoner's Society (PPS) and the Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs Commission.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency - WAFA, Al-Wardian, 38, from Bethlehem, was detained on August 18 along with his father and several other Palestinians during a wide-scale detention campaign in the governorate. Following his detention, he was transferred to the Ofer investigation center. Legal follow-up on his case revealed that Israeli intelligence authorities barred him from meeting his lawyer throughout his detention, which was repeatedly extended to complete investigations.
On August 25, Al-Wardian was moved from Ofer Prison to Israel's Hadassah Medical Center in critical condition, unconscious and placed in the intensive care unit, despite having no prior health issues before his detention. A sudden decision was made on September 11 to release him due to the severity of his health condition, after which he was transferred directly to the intensive care unit at the Arab Society Hospital in Bethlehem, where he remains in critical condition.
Medical reports issued post-release indicate that Al-Wardian suffers from brain damage caused by severe oxygen deprivation. Additionally, he sustained bilateral rib fractures, bruises and contusions around the neck, superficial wounds on the wrists and left hand, and scattered bruises on the right knee, lower left leg, and right ear.
In a joint statement, the Commission and PPS claimed that the Israeli occupation committed a compounded crime against Al-Wardian, beginning with his detention, through his investigative transfer, the denial of legal access, and repeated detention extensions, culminating in his torture and attempted execution.
The statement highlighted that Al-Wardian has been a frequent target of repeated detentions over the years, most under administrative detention. They held the Israeli occupation fully responsible for the crime against Al-Wardian, describing it as part of a series of massive crimes by the occupation over decades, escalating with the onset of the genocidal war.
The statement further warned that since the start of the genocidal war, systematic torture of detainees and prisoners has reached unprecedented levels, with practices violating international laws and norms. The Commission and PPS condemned the ongoing international silence over the occupation's crimes against Palestinian detainees and prisoners, describing it as an assault on humanity as a whole.
