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measures to prevent the military justice authority from prosecuting civilians or
holding them under any pretext.
ICHR was denied access during 2010 to the detention centers affiliated with the
Internal Security Agency of the Government in the Gaza Strip. It was also difficult
for ICHR to make visits to Gaza Central Prison due to certain preventions. Further,
the Ministry of the Interior of the Government in the Gaza Strip has not identified
the locations of the detention centers affiliated to the Internal Security Agency
despite the frequent demands by ICHR to allow it to make regular visits to these
centers.
3.Torture and Ill‐treatment
ICHR noted a rise in the number of complaints it received during 2010 from
citizens claiming they were subjected to torture and ill‐treatment compared to
the previous year. It documented 220 complaints, with allegations of different
patterns of torture in detention. These patterns include painful standing for long
hours (Shabah), flogging, beating with batons, kicking, punching, tying the hands
behind the back and being hung with a hook in a high place, being blindfolded for
long hours, the use of electric shocks by tying the toes with electrified shackles,
and abusive and threatening language as well.
4. Violation of the Right to Freedom of Expression and Press Freedom
The security agencies affiliated with the Ministry of the Interior in the Gaza Strip
detained several journalists and media officers during 2010 in the Gaza Strip
based on claims that they worked with banned media institutions, such as
Palestine TV and Voice of Palestine Radio. ICHR has received complaints from
different journalists detained by the security agencies in Gaza and from
journalists who were assaulted and banned from covering events.
5. Violation of the Right to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly
The Government in the Gaza Strip restricted the right to peaceful assembly on
several occasions by banning peaceful assembly, rallies and gatherings. On
August 10, 2010, the police agency in Gaza prohibited the PFLP from continuing
its sit‐in organized in the Square of the Unknown Soldier in Gaza City, protesting
against the continuous cutting off of power in the Gaza Strip. On July, 13, 2010,
they prohibited the Liberation Party “Hizb al‐Tahrir” from organizing a festival in