One of the men is Swedish-Spanish activist Saif Abukeshek. He is being investigated by Israel on suspicion of membership in the Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad (PCPA), an organization Israel classifies as a terrorist organization.
He was arrested along with a Brazilian activist on Thursday when the Israeli military stopped about 20 boats in a Gaza-bound convoy near Crete. Several of the activists - including Swedes - were taken ashore in Greece.
Abukeshek reportedly said he was forced to lie face down for the entire journey to Israel, and the UN is also demanding an investigation into the men's allegations that they were mistreated.
Spain has previously demanded Abukeshek's immediate release. The Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it "takes seriously the information that has emerged about the treatment of the Swedish citizen, which has been conveyed to the Israeli authorities." According to SVT, Sweden’s Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard (M) has had direct contact with her Israeli counterpart on the subject.
"It is not a crime to show solidarity and try to get humanitarian aid to the Palestinian population in Gaza, who are in desperate need of it," Thameen al-Kheetan, spokesperson for the UN human rights agency OHCHR, wrote in a statement.
