South Korean activists recount torture, sexual abuse during Israeli detention

Three South Korean activists detained during a humanitarian aid mission to Gaza this month said Thursday they were sexually and physically abused by Israeli soldiers, according to local media reports.

South Korean nationals Kim Ah-hyun and Kim Dong-hyeon, along with Korean American Jonathan Victor Lee, described their experiences at a news briefing days after returning home following their release last week, Seoul-based Yonhap News reported.

The three were among hundreds of international activists aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla, which was intercepted by Israeli forces in international waters last week.

"The men were tortured with tasers, while the women were sexually harassed and sexually assaulted," Kim Ah-hyun said.

"We could hear the sounds of the soldiers mocking and giving orders, and the sounds of the travelers being beaten. The screams were so long; it was suffocating," she added.

Kim said one sailor was shot in the thigh and left without treatment, while the container where detainees were held was "full of people with broken bones" who received no medical care.

Kim Dong-hyeon also described the detention conditions, saying he heard people being tortured and subjected to "persistent sexual abuse."

He said the three were beaten "a countless number of times" over five to 10 minutes and suffered constant bleeding from their hands after being restrained with cable ties.

Lee gave a similar account, saying many detainees were forced to watch others being assaulted and suffered serious injuries from flashbangs and beanbag rounds.

Lee said he suffered a broken rib after being beaten and receiving electric shocks from soldiers.

Kim Ah-hyun was previously detained by Israeli forces in October while attempting to break Israel's blockade on Gaza and later had her passport revoked by the South Korean government.

She is scheduled to have an interview with lawyers and Foreign Ministry officials next week before applying for a new passport.