Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 14 December 2023
150. Deputy John Brady asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs to provide details of what efforts Ireland is undertaking to ensure that Palestinians arrested by the Israeli military during the ongoing assault on Gaza are being treated humanely by their captors; if human rights organisations are being allowed access to prisoners to ensure their wellbeing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56187/23]
View answerAt the end of September 2023, the Israel Prison Service was holding 1,310 Palestinians, including children, in administrative detention. Since the Hamas attack on October 7, I understand that has increased to more than 2,000.
Ireland has repeatedly highlighted the applicability of international human rights standards and international humanitarian law in respect of detainees, in particular obligations under the Fourth Geneva Convention. Detainees must have the right to be informed of the charges underlying any detention, have access to legal assistance, and receive a fair trial. We have also called on the Israeli authorities to end the practice of administrative detention completely.
At the UN Human Rights Council, most recently in July of this year, Ireland called on the Israeli authorities, in accordance with their obligations under Article 9 of the UN International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to refrain from conducting arbitrary arrests and to follow the acceptable procedure established by law regarding arrest and detention. Ireland also made a recommendation to Israel regarding the treatment of detainees during the most recent Universal Periodic Review of Israel at the Human Rights Council in 2018, expressing concern at Israel’s extensive use of administrative detention in particular.
