I was tortured in Ghana for 35 days – Lebanese

General News of Monday, April 1, 2019

Source: Dailymailgh.com

2019-04-01

Mahran Baajour, a Lebanese businessman of Palestinian origin, was reportedly tortured in Ghana for more than a month.

"I was asked about the situation of refugees in Lebanon, the Lebanese and Palestinian political forces, certain terrorist activities and operations that did not concern me and I told them. They tortured me in various ways for 35 days, "said Baajour in a statement to the Arab Human Rights Organization in the United Kingdom (AOHR UK).

He added: "They have me detained in a narrow room, 1 × 1 meter, have deprived me of sleep for three consecutive days, have poured cold water and m & # 39; Have hit the head violently, in addition to handcuffing my hands and feet time. They threatened me to kidnap my 12-year-old daughter and kill her, while she verbally abused me.

AOHR UK wants the Ghanaian authorities to investigate kidnappings and alleged torture that occurred at the age of 39 and bring those responsible to justice, a statement said Monday.

Baajour was allegedly the victim of enforced disappearance and torture in Ghana by security agents, who are believed to be Mossad agents, since his arrest on 13 December 2018 until his release in March 2019.

Baajour arrived in Ghana on December 13, 2018 on a business trip. He was arrested after leaving the Kotoka International Airport, in the capital, Accra, without justification. He was arrested along with two other Ghanaian nationals who were at the airport to receive him. they were taken to an unknown place. The two Ghanaian men were later released and informed Baajour's family of his arrest.

"He was arrested at the airport and when the family asked where he was, he replied that he was not in their custody," his brother Jehad Baajour told the press. .

"During his detention, Ba'jour's family contacted the relevant authorities in Ghana, including the internal intelligence services, to inquire about the reasons and place of his detention. however, the authorities denied his presence in Ghana or arrested the journalist. His fate remained unknown until the moment of his release, "added the statement from AOHR UK.

AOHR UK confirmed that Baajour had been subjected to physical torture, beatings to his whole body, psychological torture, insults and insults from white-skinned agents, speaking little arabic. Some officers wore Hebrew scriptures.

"I asked them about the detention center or agency, they told me that they belonged to the International Agency for Combating Terrorism. White-skinned men, who knew little of the Arabic, began to investigate me. They were 14 men of different nationalities, as they told me. I noticed on a coat that belongs to one of them, Hebrew badges, papers written in Hebrew, and some of them used Hebrew words such as "Shekel." ". "

Baajour added: "I lost 25 kg of weight because of the famine to which I was subjected. For the duration of my detention, I ate only one tomato and one cucumber a day. I have also suffered many injuries and bruises because of the torture. I asked to see a doctor to treat my injuries, but they ignored my request.

"I think the interrogation process did not happen in one country. I was taken by plane for hours to change the location of the investigation. I was blindfolded and I could not identify the place or the state.

"In liberating me, they told me not to talk about what had happened nor about the airport from which I came back, which was in Kenya, as I l ​​& # 39; I learned later. "

"The Ghanaian authorities must bring the perpetrators of this crime to justice.

"AOHR UK condemns cooperation between Ghanaian and Kenyan security services with the Israeli Mossad, known for its brutality and various international crimes," the statement added.

AOHR UK calls on the United Nations Working Group on Enforced Disappearances and the Special Rapporteur on Torture to investigate the enforced disappearances and torture of Ba'jour.

Genesis

Public attention turned to the issue when members of the National Democratic National Democratic Congress raised the red flag about Baajour's disappearance.

However, the majority retorted by denying the allegation.

"We are anxious to badert that credible checks on national security and on the Department of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration unequivocally attest that none of these individuals had arrived at the site." 39, Kotoka International Airport, contrary to the obviously false testimony of the First Member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs. It is perfectly clear that the claims of the minority are false, unfounded and contain no truth. More so, the senior member and the minority did not check the facts with the relevant agencies before the publication of the statement, which is a sign of a deliberate attempt to harm the image and the Ghana's reputation, as they have often tried to do. .

"We therefore strongly condemn the mischievous and extremely unpatriotic lie fabricated by the minority and therefore invite the general public to disregard and treat with despise as it deserves, the heinous attempt of the senior member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and Minority, defiling the highly regarded image of our beloved country Ghana in the courtesy of nations.

"Ghana is recognized by the international community as a country respectful of human rights and legality, which justifies any despicable attempt of the senior member and the minority to misrepresent our country, in the concern for partial and partisan interests. should and should be condemned in no uncertain terms. We understand that national security will respond when the time comes, "said John Ntim Fordjour, a legislator of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).