Brazilian activist Thiago Avila returned to Brazil late Monday (11 May) after being deported from Israel. He alleges he was tortured and mistreated during 10 days in detention following the interception of a pro-Palestinian aid flotilla attempting to reach Gaza.
Avila and Spanish national Saif Abu Keshek were detained after Israeli forces intercepted the Global Sumud Flotilla in international waters near Crete last week as it attempted to deliver humanitarian aid to the Strip and challenge Israel’s naval blockade.
The flotilla, consisting of 22 boats carrying around 175 activists, had departed Spain on 12 April.
While more than 100 activists were taken back to Crete and released, Avila and Abu Keshek were transferred to Israel and held on suspicion of offences including aiding the enemy and contact with a terrorist organisation.
Both men denied the accusations.
“My return was simply a correction of a serious violation. I was kidnapped by Israel, I wasn’t imprisoned,” Avila told reporters after arriving at Sao Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport.
Avila claimed he and Abu Keshek endured “all kinds of violations” while in custody and said Palestinian detainees held nearby faced even harsher treatment.
Rights group Adalah, which represented the two activists in Israeli court proceedings, alleged the pair were subjected to psychological abuse during detention in Ashkelon.
Allegations include prolonged interrogations, constant bright lighting, isolation and blindfolded transfers, including during medical examinations.
The activists also staged a hunger strike during their detention, while Adalah said Abu Keshek additionally refused water from 5 May.
Israeli authorities rejected the allegations, saying all actions taken were lawful and in accordance with detention procedures.
In a statement posted on X, Israel’s Foreign Ministry said the investigation into the activists had concluded and confirmed they had been deported.
The governments of Brazil and Spain, along with the United Nations, criticised the detention and called for the activists’ release.
Hadeel Abu Salih, a lawyer for Adalah, described the detention as “a sham proceeding with no legal basis”, arguing that the transfer of the activists to Israel violated international law.
The Global Sumud Flotilla accused European governments, particularly Greece, of remaining silent during the incident and demanded sanctions against Israel.
The case has added to growing international scrutiny over Israel’s blockade of Gaza and restrictions on humanitarian access to the Palestinian territory.
Humanitarian agencies and the United Nations say conditions in Gaza remain severe despite a ceasefire agreed six months ago, warning that aid deliveries continue to fall short of needs.
A regional conference on Afghanistan in Moscow ended on Monday without a joint statement after Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban delegation failed to...
The German-Azerbaijani Connectivity Conference 2026 commenced on 6 October in Baku under the title “Mobilising Finance for Infrast...
An Azerbaijani citizen died and another is missing after a cargo ship was attacked by a drone in the Black Sea, near the coast of Romania on Monday...
Australian counterterrorism authorities are examining the links of the co-pilot accused of attacking the captain and attempting to take control of a flydubai flight bound for Israel. Authorities in New Zealand have also said they are investigating reports the suspect had spent time in that country.
Right-wing Brazilian Senator Flavio Bolsonaro will face leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in a runoff of the presidential election later this month, after he exceeded expectations in Sunday's first-round vote with a slight lead over the incumbent.
U.S. President Donald Trump has said that the United States will 'help' Russia after a laboratory worker died at a plague research institute in Siberia.
Iran's Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad has resigned, with Hamid Bovard, chief executive of the state-owned National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), appointed as acting oil minister, according to Iranian state media.
Candidates elected to Bosnia and Herzegovina's three-member presidency declared victory after preliminary unofficial results showed Denis Becirovic leading the Bosniak seat, Darijana Filipovic ahead in the Croat seat and Zeljka Cvijanovic likely retaining the Serb seat.
A regional conference on Afghanistan in Moscow ended on Monday without a joint statement after Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban delegation failed to agree on wording about terrorism. It was the first time since the inaugural meeting that participants failed to issue a joint statement.
An Azerbaijani citizen died and another is missing after a cargo ship was attacked by a drone in the Black Sea, near the coast of Romania on Monday (5 October), Baku's Foreign Ministry has said.
South Korea is preparing a response to press North Korea into apologising for a landmine explosion in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) that seriously wounded two of its soldiers, a Defence Ministry Spokesperson has said.
Here's your AnewZ Daily Brief for 6 October 2026. These are the top five things you need to know about the 2026 Nobel Prize.
U.S. President Donald Trump has said that the United States will 'help' Russia after a laboratory worker died at a plague research institute in Siberia.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment