Expert: Israel Denying Red Cross access to Palestinian prisoners is a war crime.

Mohammad Mahmoud Mehran, a professor of public international law and a member of both the American and European Associations of International Law, condemned the decision made by Israel’s Minister of War, Israel Katz, to prevent representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross from visiting Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons.

He stated, “This decision clearly violates the Geneva Conventions, which grant the International Committee of the Red Cross the inalienable right to visit all prisoners and detainees. Article 126 of the Third Geneva Convention, which pertains to the Treatment of Prisoners of War, explicitly grants representatives of the Red Cross the right to visit all locations where prisoners of war are held and communicate with them privately. Similarly, Article 143 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which addresses the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, provides the same rights for civilian detainees.”

The legal expert clarified that these visits are not a privilege or favor from the detaining authority; rather, they are a definitive legal right that cannot be restricted or denied for any reason. In response to the Israeli government’s claim that these visits pose a significant threat to internal security, Mehran emphasized that this is a false pretext and legally unacceptable. The Geneva Conventions do not allow for any exceptions regarding the Red Cross’s right to visit, even under the guise of internal security concerns, as this right is fundamental to ensuring that prisoners are not subjected to torture or inhumane treatment.

He noted that Red Cross representatives adhere to the highest standards of confidentiality and will not disclose any information that could compromise security. Their record of more than a century and a half demonstrates their impartiality and professionalism.

The international law professor stressed, “The real reason for this ban is to conceal the gross violations and targeted torture that Palestinian prisoners are enduring in Israeli prisons. Preventing the Red Cross from visiting these prisoners constitutes a war crime under Article 8 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, which criminalizes gross violations of the Geneva Conventions.”

Mehran remarked, “This decision reveals Israel’s intention to hide the crimes of torture and inhumane treatment of prisoners. It aims to obscure instances of torture, cruel treatment, denial of medical care, and detention under inhuman conditions. Human rights organizations have documented horrific violations occurring in Israeli prisons, including fatalities resulting from torture.”