The man in his 40s has Swedish and Spanish citizenship, according to Global Sumud Flotilla.
He was arrested along with an activist from Brazil and is now being held in the Shikma prison in Ashkelon. Both men appeared before an Israeli court on Sunday, according to Miriam Azem of the Adalah legal center, which is handling their defense.
The state requested that their detention be extended by four days, she told AFP.
The Brazilian national told lawyers that he was subjected to “extreme brutality” when the boats were boarded in the Mediterranean. According to the man’s account, he was dragged “face down along the floor” and beaten until he lost consciousness. After arriving in Israel, he was kept in isolation with a blindfold, according to Adalah.
The Swedish man reportedly told lawyers that he was forced to lie face down for the entire journey to Israel. Israel has not responded to the allegations.
According to Israel, the two men have links to the Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad (PCPA), an organization labeled a terrorist organization by Israel and accused by the United States of acting on behalf of Hamas. The Swedish-Spanish man is alleged to have a leading role in the PCPA.
In connection with the operation on Thursday, the Israeli military stopped about 20 boats in the Gaza convoy near Crete, over 1,000 kilometers from Gaza. More than 50 boats were on their way to Gaza to break the Israeli blockade and deliver supplies.
