Joint Alternative Report on Israel to the Committee against Torture

ThePCATI has submitted in consultation with OMCT an alternative report to the UN CommitteeAgainst Torture (CAT) for its review of the Fifth Periodic Report on Israel whichwill take place on 3rd and 4th May 2016 in Geneva.

Thereport focuses on five issues of concern :

- Lack of criminalization of torture in IsraeliLaw and failure of Israel to prevent torture within its jurisdiction ;

- Lack of provision of real and effectivesafeguards against torture ;

- Need for a fully independent and impartialmechanism to investigate allegations of torture ;

- Need for specific trainings on the prohibitionof torture and other ill-treatment, and incorporation of the use of theIstanbul Protocol in the investigation and documentation of torture ;

- Lack of reparations for victims of torture inIsrael and in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Alongwith specific recommendations formulated for each issue of concern, the report issuggesting the CAT to adopt the following general recommendations with respectto Israel :

1. Ratification of Optional Protocol to theConvention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment orPunishment, allowing National Preventive Mechanisms and the UN Subcommittee onPrevention of Torture to visit all places of detention and detainees ;

2. Recognition of the competence of the CAT underarticle 22 of the Convention to receive and examine communications from or onbehalf of victims of violations of the provisions of the Convention within thejurisdiction of Israel.