On 8 January 2021, United Nations (UN) Human Rights experts: Mr. Nils Melzer, Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment; Mr. S. Michael Lynk, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967; and the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, issued a public statement urging Israel to ensure accountability for torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment universally prohibited under international law.

The statement followed Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association’s urgent appeal to the United Nations Special Procedures on 27 January 2021 to uphold Palestinian prisoner Samer Arbeed’s Freedom from torture, and to guarantee accountability and effective remedies as a victim of torture. The urgent appeal came after the Israeli Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit closed the investigations against the Shabak (Israeli Security Agency) for the circumstances leading to prisoner Samer Arbeed's hospitalization and the use of extreme torture techniques during Samer’s interrogation that almost led to his death.