Contents

1. Action Required

2. Summary

3. Background

4. Sample Letters

 

1. Action Required 

a. Write letters and emails to the UN and the CEO of G4S urging them to do whatever they can to ensure G4S discontinues all business with Israel with immediate effect.

b. Attend the vigil:

Date: Friday 15 March 2013 
Time: 3:00pm – 5:00pm
Venue: G4S London Headquarters, Southside, 105 Victoria Street, London, SW1E 6QT 
Nearest Train/ Tube: Victoria Tube Station

Organised by IHRC and Inminds

 

2. Summary

 IHRC are urging campaigners and activists to protest against G4S for their provision of expertise and security systems to Israeli prisons, and their complicity in the detention and torture of Palestinian children. Most recently, 30 year old Arafat Jaradat, died in an Israeli prison following severe torture by Israeli security in the G4S provisioned Megiddo Prison.

Join the vigil outside G4S next week on 15 March and/or write a letter of protest.

 

3. Background

G4S is a British-Danish security firm. Among some of the provisions made by G4S to the Israeli security apparatus include a perimeter defence system and command control centre for Ofer prison in occupied Palestine, and security systems for the al-Jalame interrogation centre in Israel.

Ofer and Al-Jalame are notorious for having housed Palestinian children in solitary confinement. The internment of children in solitary confinement, as well as their interrogation and torture, is made possible by the technological and logistical support provided by G4S.

Arafat Jaradat, 30, died on Saturday 23 February 2013 following interrogation and torture in G4S provisioned Megiddo Prison and Al-Jalame interrogation centre by Israel’s security service Shin Bet. A postmortem and autopsy of Jaradat’s body revealed clear signs of torture and two broken ribs.

Thousands of mourners gathered for Arafat Jaradat’s funeral, and anger escalated over G4S backed Israeli practice of inhumane torture.

 

4. Sample Letters

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Sample letters are given below for your convenience. Please note that model letters can be sent directly or adjusted as necessary to include further details. If you receive a reply to the letter you send, we request you to send a copy of the letter you send and the reply you received, to IHRC. This is very important as it helps IHRC to monitor the situation with regards to our campaigns and to improve upon the current model letters.

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a. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navanethem Pillay

Navanethem Pillay,
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR),
Palais des Nations,
CH-1211 Geneva 10,
Switzerland

[Your name]
[Your address]

[Date]

Dear High Commissioner,

Re: Complicity of G4S in the illegal occupation of Palestine and its involvement in numerous human rights abuses

I am deeply concerned over the complicity of G4S in the illegal Israeli occupation of Palestine and its involvement in numerous human rights abuses. G4S is providing security systems to help Israel secure prisons and interrogation centres where Palestinian children are being caged and tortured. These include:

• Ofer prison in the occupied territory, where G4S provides the perimeter defense system and the central command control room for the entire facility.

• The Al Jalame interrogation centre in northern Israel. Cell 36 where Defence for Children International reported that children are locked in small filthy cells in solitary confinement, some for 65 days, with their only escape being the interrogation room where they are shackled by their hands and feet to a chair whilst being abused, sometimes for hours. G4S provides the security system that keeps this torture den operational.

Arafat Jaradat, 30 year old Palestinian father of 2 children aged four and two years old, died on Saturday 23 February 2013 following severe torture by Israel’s security service in Megiddo Prison where the whole central command room is provisioned by G4S.

I urge you to do whatever you can to persuade G4S to discontinue all business with Israel with immediate effect. This ongoing oppression of individuals which is a clear violation of human rights law must not be tolerated by the UN which claims to stand for justice. 

I look forward to hearing back from you regarding this urgent matter.

Yours sincerely,

[Your signature]

[Your name]

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b. Nick Buckles, CEO of G4S

[Your name]

[Your address]

[Date]

Nick Buckles

CEO

G4S UK & Ireland Head Office

Southside

105 Victoria Street

London, SW1E 6QT

Dear Mr. Buckles,

Re: Complicity of G4S in the illegal occupation of Palestine and its involvement in numerous human rights abuses

I am deeply concerned over the complicity of G4S in the illegal Israeli occupation of Palestine and its involvement in numerous human rights abuses. G4S is providing security systems to help Israel secure prisons and interrogation centres where Palestinian children are being caged and tortured.

Arafat Jaradat, 30 year old Palestinian father of 2 children aged four and two years old, died on Saturday 23 February 2013 following severe torture by Israel’s security service in Megiddo Prison where the whole central command room is provisioned by G4S.

I demand you G4S discontinue all business with Israel with immediate effect. 

I look forward to hearing back from you regarding this urgent matter.

Yours sincerely,

[Your signature]

[Your name]

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“And what reason have you that you should not fight in the way of Allah and of the weak among the men and the women and the children, (of) those who say: Our Lord! Cause us to go forth from this town, whose people are oppressors, and give us from Thee a guardian and give us from Thee a helper.” 

Holy Qur’an: Chapter 4, Verse 75

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