"His imprisonment, like that of many other Palestinians, was politically motivated—a blatant attempt to silence activists resisting Israel’s military occupation. In 2012, Amnesty International recognized him as a prisoner of conscience, condemning his repeated detentions as part of Israel’s systematic efforts to suppress Palestinian activism."
February 19, 2025
To the CBC Vancouver Newsroom,
In your news segment aired at 04:15 on Wednesday, February 19, 2025, on CBC Vancouver (CBUT), you reported that Khalil al-Hayya, a Hamas leader, announced the return of the bodies of four captives, including members of the Bibas family, and that Israel is “expected to release Palestinian prisoners.”
I take glaring issue with your reference to Israel releasing Palestinian “prisoners” rather than “detainees,” as it misrepresents Israel’s detention practices. Many Palestinians in Israeli custody are not convicted criminals but are instead imprisoned without charge or trial under the guise of administrative detention—a policy that enables Israel to detain Palestinians for up to six months without charge, based on secret evidence not disclosed to the detainee or their lawyer. This detention can be renewed indefinitely, meaning some Palestinians are imprisoned for years without ever knowing the accusations against them or having the opportunity to contest their detention in a fair trial.
This practice blatantly violates international human rights law, specifically Article 9(1) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)—a legally binding UN treaty ratified by Israel in 1991:
Article 9(1): “No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest or detention. No one shall be deprived of his liberty except on such grounds and in accordance with such procedures as are established by law.”
Bassem Tamimi, the father of Palestinian activist Ahed Tamimi, is one of the many Palestinians subjected to this practice. He has been detained multiple times under administrative detention, often for months at a time, without charge or trial for being involved in “peaceful non-violent demonstrations against Israeli settlements.”
His imprisonment, like that of many other Palestinians, was politically motivated—a blatant attempt to silence activists resisting Israel’s military occupation. In 2012, Amnesty International recognized him as a prisoner of conscience, condemning his repeated detentions as part of Israel’s systematic efforts to suppress Palestinian activism.
Therefore, many Palestinian detainees do not meet the conventional definition of “prisoners.” In a recent CBC News article, Chris Brown explained this dynamic. They are arbitrarily detained for years without ever being informed of the charges against them. Referring to them as “prisoners” misrepresents their legal status, reinforces the false narrative that all Palestinians in Israeli custody are convicted criminals, and obscures the broader context of Israel’s military occupation in which, as Amnesty International concluded, systematically uses administrative detention to suppress Palestinian aspirations for liberation:
“Israel has systematically used administrative detention as a tool to persecute Palestinians, rather than as an extraordinary and selectively used preventative measure.”
Notably, CBC itself has previously referred to Palestinians in administrative detention as “detainees,” as seen in this article headline: “Israel releases Palestinian detainees after delay over chaotic handover of 8 hostages.” This inconsistency raises concerns about editorial accuracy and reinforces the need for precise terminology in CBC’s reporting.
As a public broadcaster, CBC has a responsibility to ensure accuracy in its reporting, as outlined in its journalistic standards. Referring to Palestinian detainees as “prisoners” falsely implies that all Palestinians in Israeli custody are convicted criminals, when in reality, many are detained without charge or trial under administrative detention. I therefore urge CBC to use more precise language and avoid inaccurately labeling Palestinian detainees as “prisoners.”
Warm regards,
Lynn Naji
Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East