(AFP) - The Court of Appeals in the city of L'Aquila, in central Italy, refused on Wednesday to extradite to Israel a Palestinian detained in the city, because he would risk suffering " cruel, inhumane treatment."
According to the court's verdict, which was obtained by AFP, in the event of extradition to Israel "he risks suffering cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or other acts of violation of human rights."
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This Palestinian man, Anan Yaeesh, has been detained since January 29 after Israel filed an extradition request "due to Anan's alleged participation, from Italy, in a group that worked in the refugee camp in Tulkarem," in the West Bank, his lawyer Flavio Rossi Albertini told AFP. He is accused of being part of the Brigades of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs, an organization considered to be a terrorist group by the European Union, whose Italian cell is known as the Tulkarem Brigades.
The Court of Appeals also cites reports from NGOs "reputable internationally such as Amnesty International or Human Rights Watch (...) referring to conditions of detention in Israeli prisons that are too difficult for Palestinian citizens, characterized by overcrowding, physical violence, poor hygiene conditions and lack of care," and which subsequently deteriorated with the ongoing conflict.
Furthermore, extradition is not possible because Yaeesh "is being prosecuted criminally by the L'Aquila public prosecutor's office for the same facts which are the basis of the Israeli extradition request." adds the court.
Two other Palestinians were arrested Monday in L'Aquila, suspected along with Anan Yaeesh of "criminal association for the purposes of terrorism," according to a police statement.
The three men are suspected of having "planned attacks, including suicides, against civilian and military targets in foreign territory," according to a court statement, without specifying which country was targeted.