A troubling exchange on a live show
The reported event occurred on June 30, 2008. During a recent episode of Piers Morgan Uncensored, Professor Mohammad Marandi confronted American lawyer Alan Dershowitz regarding serious allegations of sexual abuse against Palestinian detainees. The debate, which covered broader topics including Israel, Iran and the wider Middle East conflict, quickly became confrontational as both men traded accusations about regional tensions.
The exchange sparked immediate outrage when Dershowitz responded to claims that prison guards raped or sexually assaulted prisoners with the statement: “It was done by dogs.” This remark suggested the acts were performed by animals rather than human personnel, a suggestion that immediately raised deeply troubling questions regarding the nature of the alleged violence.
The interview featured Marandi and Dershowitz debating on Morgan’s program, but the discussion shifted rapidly to these specific allegations. When pressed on claims that detainees had been subjected to rape or sexual assault by prison guards, Dershowitz’s response indicated he believed the conduct was carried out by animals instead of human staff.
The suggestion that an animal was used to sexually violate a prisoner still constitutes an extreme form of sexual violence, humiliation and torture.
Animals do not organise detention systems, issue orders or supervise prisoners.
Why the response fails to rebut the accusation
For that reason, Dershowitz’s response did not provide a meaningful rebuttal to Marandi’s accusation.
Marandi’s allegation was already confronting. Dershowitz’s answer made the exchange more disturbing because it appeared to focus on the mechanism of the alleged abuse rather than confronting its fundamental horror.
No alleged victim should be dehumanised or denied justice because of their identity. The allegations must be investigated transparently, and anyone found responsible should face accountability under the law without delay.
The appropriate response to such claims is an independent inquiry with full access to detainees, medical documentation, witnesses, detention facilities and those accused of responsibility. Such an investigation is necessary to determine the truth behind these serious allegations.
The victims’ identity should not matter
Claims of rape and sexual torture must be treated seriously regardless of whether the alleged victims are Israeli, Palestinian or from any other background. Human rights cannot depend on nationality, religion or political allegiance.
When allegations this serious emerge, they should not be dismissed as propaganda without examination. Equally, they should not be presented as conclusively proven without credible evidence and a proper investigation conducted by impartial bodies.
The International Committee of the Red Cross has also said it has not been able to visit Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli facilities since October 7, 2023, and has called for access to detainees and information about their whereabouts. This lack of access complicates any independent verification of conditions within these facilities.
Without such transparency, claims remain unverified and the suffering of victims remains obscured from public view.
Accountability must include those who enable abuse
International standards recognise that responsibility for mistreatment can extend beyond the person who physically carries out an act.
That principle is crucial in this case. Saying an alleged assault was “done by dogs” does not answer who controlled the animals, who was supervising the detainees or who permitted the alleged conduct.
Those are the questions that require serious investigation.
This legal distinction ensures that those in positions of authority cannot evade liability by claiming ignorance or shifting blame to subordinates or animals.
The focus must remain on establishing the facts through a transparent process. Any individual found responsible should face accountability under the law, irrespective of their role within the detention system or the specific circumstances alleged.
The exchange on Piers Morgan Uncensored highlighted the urgent need for clarity and accountability in situations where allegations of such severity arise. Viewers and observers are left questioning how such statements can be made without acknowledging the profound human rights violations they imply.
The integrity of any legal or humanitarian system depends on its ability to investigate these claims thoroughly and impartially. The international community must ensure that mechanisms exist to protect detainees from abuse regardless of their nationality or political status.