The Swedish-Spanish man, who is in his 40s, was arrested along with a Brazilian activist and has been held in Shikma prison in Ashkelon. Both men appeared before an Israeli court on Sunday, said Miriam Azem of the Adalah legal center, which is handling their defense.
The Israeli court decided to extend the detention by two days, according to Azem. Israeli authorities had requested a four-day extension.
Spain is demanding the man's "immediate release." A government statement also repeated the accusation that the man is "illegally detained."
“Extreme brutality”
The Brazilian national has 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.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs' press service wrote in an email to SVT that it "takes seriously the information that has emerged about the treatment of the Swedish citizen, which has been conveyed to Israeli authorities." SVT also reports that Sweden's Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard (M) has had direct contact with her Israeli counterpart on the subject.
Near Crete
According to Israel, the two men have links to the Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad (PCPA), an organization designated 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 of the 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.
