DIPLOMATIC CORRESPONDENT

Photographer-activist Shahidul Alam yesterday said he was subjected to psychological abuse during his detention by Israeli authorities.

Israeli forces had detained Shahidul and over a hundred other journalists, medics, and human rights activists from a Gaza-bound aid flotilla that was intercepted in international waters approximately 120 nautical miles off the coast of Gaza.

After being released, Shahidul arrived in Dhaka, via Turkey, yesterday morning.

“While in prison, the Israeli authorities deliberately tried to instil fear in us. They would suddenly storm into our cell with machine guns, making loud noises and shouting random commands,” Shahidul said during a press conference at DrikPath Bhobon in Dhaka yesterday afternoon.

He recalled how their hands were tied behind their backs and they were forced to kneel in a spot where Israeli forces had supposedly urinated beforehand.

“The authorities threw my passport to the ground, and each time I tried to pick it up, they threatened me with physical assault.”

He said two of his fellow detainees were struck with the barrel of a machine gun simply for speaking to each other.

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