Four Palestinians released from Israeli custody told The Guardian and Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism that authorities used electroshock weapons they believed were made by Axon, raising questions about U.S. exports and detention practices.
The joint investigation, published Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026, said two videos produced by the Israel Prison Service in the preceding year showed a weapon that appeared to be an Axon Taser. The investigation did not identify the model shown or connect a shipment to the detainees’ accounts.
It also reported that an Israeli distributor signed a contract in 2016 to supply Taser X26P devices and accessories to Israeli security agencies. The investigation did not establish whether those devices were linked to the weapons described by the detainees or shown in the videos.
One interviewee, identified by the pseudonym Essa, was 43 and was released in October 2025 after being arrested in January 2024 and held at Ofer Prison, the investigation said. The International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims assessed scars on his body as consistent with repeated shocks while he was restrained.
Axon’s current distributor directory lists Team 3 Group for Israel. The investigation reported that Goren-Kidon Group was listed as an Israeli distributor in 2025 and that Israeli security agency representatives attended an Axon product showcase there in June that year.
Axon’s 2025 annual report says U.S. exports of its conducted-energy devices generally require a license from the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC), except for sales to Canada. The U.S. Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) lists electric-shock devices, including stun guns, under export category ECCN 0A503. It requires licenses for destinations other than Canada and says applications are generally reviewed individually, with human-rights risks among the factors considered.
An Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson told The Guardian that detainee abuse was prohibited and that restraints were used only in exceptional circumstances under Israeli and international law. The Guardian said it sought comment from Axon and the Israel Prison Service.
The U.N. Committee Against Torture adopted observations on Israel on Nov. 25, 2025, citing allegations of electrocution and saying torture and ill-treatment had “gravely intensified since 7 October 2023.” The committee did not identify Axon or a Taser model.
