The Australian Federal Police (AFP) will investigate allegations of abuse and sexual assault made against Israeli authorities by some of the Australian members of the Global Sumud flotilla, who were detained in international waters at gunpoint while they were attempting to deliver aid to Gaza in May.
They were imprisoned before being deported from Israel.
Yesterday, the AFP announced they would begin conducting “inquiries” into the allegations made by the Australian activists who say they were kidnapped, abused, tortured and sexually assaulted by Israeli defence personnel while in their custody.
The AFP announcement comes after some of the members met a group of politicians and senior AFP officers at Parliament House on Monday afternoon, including Penny Wong and multicultural affairs minister, Anne Aly.
A spokesperson for the foreign minister said the officials met the activists to “listen to them directly about their experiences.”
The activists include Juliet Lamont, Neve O’Connor, Gemma O’Toole and Isla Lamont.
An AFP spokesperson confirmed it “has begun inquiries into allegations made by a representative of the group”.
“The AFP engages with a victim-centric, trauma-informed approach,” the spokesperson said. “The AFP will provide an update at an appropriate time.”
According to Guardian Australia, a report of crime has not yet been formally submitted.
The activists have already joined an official submission to the International Criminal Court (ICC) alleging a range of crimes, including war crimes, crimes against humanity, torture and other violations of international law by Israeli authorities.
During the meeting on Monday afternoon, members of the humanitarian flotilla said they had urged the federal government to expel Israel’s ambassador to Australia, among other demands they presented. They also revealed they had been advised to report the alleged abuse to police, who could then seek to collaborate with Israeli authorities on an investigation.
Juliet Lamont, who alleges she was sexually assaulted and abused by an Israeli soldier, said the AFP officials she met agreed to an independent investigation into their allegations.
“You could hear a pin drop in there,” Lamont told reporters after the meeting. “It was harrowing. It was acutely emotional.”
“Every woman that was there, and I think it was maybe 10, they all believed us and came up to us at the end and thanked us for sharing our harrowing testimony, said that we were really brave and want to support us in the investigations.”
“She [Senator Wong] said she believed us,” she added.
Earlier this month, Senator Wong said she believes the activists’ allegations that they were sexually assaulted.
Neve O’Connor said the group wanted to see “strong accountability”.
“We would like to see a government that acts on behalf of their Australian citizens who have been abused, tortured, and raped, and actually act on our benefits,” she said.
O’Connor has claimed she was abused, physically beaten and sexually humiliated by Israeli soldiers after she was detained.
An Israeli embassy spokesperson denies the allegations.
On multiple occasions, Senator Wong has condemned the actions of Israeli authorities and told Israel that Australia expects an “independent, transparent investigation”.
“I have raised this matter directly with my Israeli counterpart, officials have made high-level representations to Israel, and conveyed my expectation — Australia’s expectation — that these allegations be urgently investigated,” she said earlier this month.
“We would want the most thorough investigation possible, but we’re not the ones who are able to determine what that investigation is.”