Indonesian GSF Volunteer Reveals Israeli Torture: Beaten, Stamped On and Electrocuted on Mediterranean Detention Ship

An Indonesian Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) 2.0 humanitarian mission volunteer, Rahendro Herubowo, has revealed the horrific experiences he endured while detained by Israeli authorities after their humanitarian vessel was intercepted in the Mediterranean Sea. Heru, as he is commonly known, recounted experiencing physical abuse and psychological pressure during his detention. He described the volunteers being held in inhumane conditions from the moment they were brought aboard the Israeli detention vessel. “There were numerous treatments they subjected us to, especially physical. It wasn’t just physical; we were also kept in uncomfortable conditions during our detention by Israeli authorities,” Heru said at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport Terminal 3 in Tangerang, Banten. Heru stated that volunteers were forced to endure freezing temperatures in the Mediterranean for days with no clear destination. They also faced food shortages and were not permitted to wear adequate clothing. “It was like being in a container; we were forced to endure the cold in the Mediterranean as our prison ship circled for three days,” he said. “We didn’t know where we were being taken. We had to endure hunger and the cold at night because they only allowed us to wear minimal clothing—just a singlet, nothing else,” he added. Heru then detailed allegations of physical torture from the moment of arrest. He said volunteers were immediately subjected to brutal treatment upon boarding the detention vessel. “As I mentioned earlier, the moment we were abducted and taken to the prison ship—which was quite large—the torture began immediately upon entry,” he said. He described being forced face-down before being doused with water. Physical violence reportedly escalated in the transit detention area after administrative procedures and passport surrender.