Haaretz
The Israeli army prosecutor said on Thursday that five reserve soldiers are accused of severely abusing a Hamas police officer who was arrested in Gaza and taken to the Sde Teiman detention center.
The prosecutor described in graphic detail the abuse the soldiers allegedly engaged in, which resulted in the puncturing of the prisoner’s rectum and the fracture of ribs.
According to the prosecutor, three of the soldiers, including two reservists and their commander, approached the sleeping prisoner, woke him up and pinned him to a wall.
After the prisoner fell to the ground, one of the suspects was joined by other soldiers and beat the prisoner with a club for 15 minutes. They then dragged him along the floor and electrocuted him with a taser, the court was told.
At that point, one of the soldiers forcibly inserted an object into the prisoner’s rectum. The suspects also allegedly warned him not to complain to the authorities about the incident.
The evidence in the case is based on 100 separate testimonies, the prosecutor said.
The prosecution asked that the five soldiers, who are under house arrest, are to remain under those restrictions for another two weeks. The investigation of the case is expected to be wrapped up shortly. Evidence is expected to be provided to the suspects’ lawyers at the beginning of next week, the army said, after which time defense lawyers are entitled to ask for pre-indictment hearings for their clients.
Late last month, following the detention of nine soldiers in the case, about 200 people protested outside the Beit Lid army base in central Israel, where the military court is located, demanding the soldiers’ release. The protesters stormed onto the base and entered the military court building.