SOAS University 'concerned' by reports of Sami Hamdi's US detention | Press Freedom News

SOAS University, of which Hamdi is an alumnus, is demanding that “US authorities ensure full transparency and a fair trial” in his case.

The University of London, where British political commentator and journalist Sami Hamdi graduated, has called for “full transparency and a fair trial” regarding his detention in the United States.

In a statement released on Wednesday, SOAS University of London said it was “deeply concerned” by reports of Mr Hamdi's detention, adding that there was “no indication that Mr Hamdi has broken any laws”.

“We call on the US authorities to ensure full transparency and a fair trial in Mr. Hamdi's case and to protect his fundamental right to freedom of expression and movement.”

Hamdi, 35, was stopped at San Francisco International Airport in California on October 26 and detained by agents from the Department of Homeland Security's Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) condemned Hamdi's detention as a “blatant affront to free speech,” attributing his arrest to his criticism of Israel's genocidal war on Gazawhich has killed at least 68,875 Palestinians and wounded 170,679 since October 2023.

Hamdi, who was wrapping up a U.S. speaking tour discussing Israel's war on Gaza, had given a speech at a CAIR gala in Sacramento, Calif., the night before and was scheduled to speak at another CAIR event in Florida.

He did not know at the time that his visa had been revoked by US authorities two days before his detention.

Hamdi's detention has led to a legal battle, with his lawyers filing urgent petitions against his detention and his wife Sumaya and civil society groups urging the UK government to take action.

Sumaya told Al Jazeera that the US government has yet to provide any evidence “why they feel the need to cancel his visa. And therefore treat him as an overstay”.

She said the incident raises an important question: “Has the United States now become a country where a British citizen traveling on a valid visa can be detained at will? Because that's really scary.”

Sumaya said she believes her husband was targeted by US authorities because “he has become extremely effective in mobilizing support for Palestinian rights. Sami has been able to unite people across the political spectrum, not just in Muslim communities.”

She also said her husband's arrest should worry “anyone who values ​​the right to free speech, anyone who values ​​the right to get facts from journalists and for journalists to be able to report news without being persecuted.”

“If they (US authorities) are able to treat Sami this way, it's only a matter of time before they start treating US citizens this way.”

“The US government must release Sammy immediately. They made a big mistake and they must release him immediately. And Congress must investigate these ICE detentions because they set a dangerous precedent for the future ability of US citizens to be able to properly exercise their First Amendment rights. And that's bad news for everyone,” she said.