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Paris-Geneva,
2 October 2025 – Today, the Sumud Flotilla for Freedom, carrying
humanitarian aid for Gaza and composed by international human rights
defenders and activists committed to non-violent action, was
violently boarded in international waters by the Israeli army.
Hundreds of peaceful activists on board were kidnapped and
illegaly arrested, including two International Federation for Human
Rights (FIDH) Vice-Presidents. The Observatory for the Protection of
Human Rights Defenders (a partnership of FIDH and OMCT) strongly
condemns the unlawful interception of the Sumud Flotilla and calls on
the Israeli authorities to immediately and unconditionally release
all those detained. The Observatory also calls on the governments of
the detainees’ countries of origin to take all necessary diplomatic
measures to put pressure on Israel to immediately release their
nationals.
During
the night of 1st to 2nd October, 2025, the Israeli army violently
intercepted the boats composing the Sumud
Flotilla -a non-violent humanitarian initiative aimed at breaking
the siege and delivering food and medical supplies to Gaza- in
international waters. The peaceful activists on board of the vessels
were illegaly arrested -as Israel has no legal authority in
international waters- and their boats taken to the port of Ashdod.
Two
FIDH Vice-Presidents : Alexis
Deswaef
from Belgium and Aziz
Rhali
from Morroco, were among the participants
and are now part of the detainees, along
with many other participants of the flotilla.
According
to the
Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel (Adalah), the
hearings
began early in the morning of 2 October, in the absence of lawyers.
It was only at 4 p.m. that day that Adalah's lawyers were able to
gain access to the activists and begin to accompany them.
The
Observatory recalls that the arbitrary arrest and detention of
individuals engaging in peaceful human rights activities constitutes
a flagrant violation of international human rights law, including the
rights to liberty, freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and
association. It further underscores that such actions form part of a
broader pattern of repression aimed at silencing voices that expose
the ongoing genocide in Gaza and challenge Israel’s crimes and
gross violations of international humanitarian law.
The
Observatory urgently calls on the Israeli authorities to guarantee,
in all circumstances, the physical integrity and psychological
well-being of all the peaceful activists arrested and to immediately
and unconditionally release all those illegally detained, including
the two FIDH Vice-Presidents. The Observatory further requests the
Israeli authorities to refrain from any further harassment or
intimidation against human rights defenders, whether domestic or
international, who seek to denounce the ongoing genocide in Gaza and
to uphold the human rights of all Palestinians.
The
Observatory also calls on the governments of the detainees’
countries of origin -around 45 countries were represented among the
participants of the Sumud Flotilla- to deploy all necessary
diplomatic actions in order to put pressure on Israel to immediately
release their nationals.
The
Observatory reaffirms its solidarity with all defenders who, through
peaceful means, continue to stand for justice, dignity and human
rights, and stresses that the international community must hold
Israel accountable for its persistent violations of international
law. The Observatory will continue to monitor this situation closely
and mobilise all available mechanisms to ensure that those
arbitrarily detained are immediately freed and able to continue their
legitimate human rights work without fear of reprisal.
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