Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg was allegedly mistreated and forced to wear an Israeli flag during detention, according to activists who were deported to Turkey after participating in a flotilla carrying aid to Gaza.
A total of 137 activists were deported and arrived in Istanbul on Saturday, Turkish foreign ministry sources said. The group included 36 Turkish nationals and others from the US, UAE, Algeria, Morocco, Italy, Kuwait, Libya, Malaysia, Mauritania, Switzerland, Tunisia and Jordan.
Two activists, Malaysian national Hazwani Helmi and American citizen Windfield Beaver, told news agency Reuters they witnessed Thunberg’s mistreatment. “It was a disaster. They treated us like animals. Great Thunberg was shoved and forced to wear an Israeli flag,” said Helmi, 28, alleging detainees were denied clean food and water, while their belongings and medicines were seized.
Other activists also accused Israeli officials of mistreatment and torture during detention. “They forced us to kneel, face down. If we moved, they hit us. They laughed, insulted, and beat us using both psychological and physical violence,” Paolo Romano, a regional councillor from Italy, told news agency AFP.
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