"To put this in context, Dr. Hussam Abu Safiyya, a Palestinian physician, was abducted by Israeli forces for refusing to abandon his patients at Kamal Adwan Hospital. His detention, like that of many other Palestinians, is a systematic attempt to intimidate and punish Palestinians who refuse to abandon their professional and ethical duties under Israeli occupation. His abduction reflects Israel’s broader pattern of detaining Palestinian doctors, journalists, and activists under arbitrary charges and without due process."
To the CBC Toronto Newsroom,
I am writing on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East regarding your broadcast which aired at 7:20 on Friday, February 21, 2025.
Your report stated that the Israeli military said two bodies released by Hamas had been identified as infant Kfir Bibas and his four-year-old brother, Ariel Bibas—while a third body was not that of Shiri Bibas, the children's mother, whose body was also supposed to be released.
Following this, you reported that Hamas named six Israeli captives to be freed on Saturday but excluded that this exchange involves 602 Palestinian detainees. This reflects one-sided reporting, neglecting to highlight the asymmetry of releasing six Israeli hostages versus 602 Palestinian detainees while failing to provide essential context on Israel’s use of administrative detention of Palestinians without due process.
I would like to draw your attention to the fact that many Palestinians imprisoned are not convicted criminals but are instead held in jail without trial under the policy of administrative detention—a system that allows Israel to detain Palestinians for up to six months without charge, based on undisclosed evidence. These detentions can be indefinitely renewed, leaving some Palestinians imprisoned for years without knowing the accusations against them or having the opportunity to contest their detention in a fair trial.
This practice in a blatant violation of 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.”
To put this in context, Dr. Hussam Abu Safiyya, a Palestinian physician, was abducted by Israeli forces for refusing to abandon his patients at Kamal Adwan Hospital. His detention, like that of many other Palestinians, is a systematic attempt to intimidate and punish Palestinians who refuse to abandon their professional and ethical duties under Israeli occupation. His abduction reflects Israel’s broader pattern of detaining Palestinian doctors, journalists, and activists under arbitrary charges and without due process.
I urge CBC Toronto in future reporting to provide comprehensive context on Palestinian detainees, particularly regarding Israel’s use of administrative detention and its legal implications. Coverage should also include perspectives from human rights organizations like Amnesty International, which has extensively documented Israel’s systemic use of prisons to suppress resistance against the Israeli occupation, as well as insights from legal experts and affected Palestinian families.
Here are some useful links, documented by Amnesty International, regarding Israel’s use of administrative detention:
- Israel must end mass incommunicado detention and torture of Palestinians from Gaza
- Israel: The injustice and secrecy surrounding administrative detention
- Israel/OPT: Horrifying cases of torture and degrading treatment of Palestinian detainees amid spike in arbitrary arrests.
Previous correspondence with Montreal’s CBC Newsroom has demonstrated their openness to engaging in dialogue with us. I encourage CBC Toronto to follow this example and adhere to the journalistic standards outlined on their website.
I look forward to your response.
Warm regards,
Lynn Naji
Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East