The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed statements by the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) calling for the release of British Muslim journalist Sami Hamdi, who is currently detained by U.S. authorities apparently due to his public statements criticizing Israel’s genocide in Gaza.
In a statement, Washington, D.C., based CAIR said:
“We commend the NUJ and IFJ for standing up for press freedom and for defending the rights of journalists to speak truth to power without fear of retaliation or detention. The targeting of a journalist for expressing opposition to a government’s policies – especially those involving war crimes – is a clear violation of free speech and human rights.
“At a time when journalists around the world face increasing threats and repression, our government must uphold, not undermine, the principles of free expression. No journalist should be silenced for calling attention to the suffering of the Palestinian people.”
Earlier today, CAIR-California announced that it met with Hamdi in ICE detention yesterday at Golden State Annex, in McFarland, California and have filed for a habeas petition to protect his constitutional rights and for an emergency temporary restraining order (TRO) to block the government from transferring him away from his legal team.
Hamdi’s legal team has filed a federal Complaint and Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus, a Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief, and an emergency application for a TRO and Order to Show Cause re Preliminary Injunction on the evening Oct. 27.
BACKGROUND
Hamdi was reportedly detained by ICE officers in the domestic terminal of San Francisco International Airport on the morning of Oct. 26.
He was on a speaking tour in the United States, which he has done many times in the past. Hamdi spoke at the annual gala of CAIR Sacramento on Oct. 25 and was scheduled to speak at the gala of CAIR Florida on the night of his abduction.
Anti-Muslim extremists Laura Loomer and Amy Mekelberg have publicly taken credit for his abduction, claiming that ICE acted in response to their demands and smearing Hamdi with various anti-Muslim conspiracy theories. The State Department initially attempted to justify Hamdi’s detention by sharing an X post by Amy Mekelberg with conspiracy theories leveled against Hamdi.
SEE:British political commentator Sami Hamdi detained by federal authorities at California airport
CAIR previously called on Secretary of State Marco Rubio to address whether he spoke directly with anti-Muslim extremist Laura Loomer, as she claims, before banning Palestinian children injured by American weapons in Gaza from seeking medical care in the U.S. and condemned his decision.
A day after Loomer posted videos on social media complaining about children from Gaza arriving in the U.S. for medical treatment and questioning how they obtained visas, the State Department said it was halting all visitor visas for people from Gaza pending a review.
In a tweet, Loomer thanked Senator Rubio for halting the visas. The New York Times reported that Loomer said she spoke with Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday night to alert him to the flights and what she called the threat of an “Islamic invasion.”
SEE: U.S. Pauses Visitor Visas for Gazans After Laura Loomer Posts – The New York Times
CAIR is urging the community to call on their members of Congress and demand that ICE release Hamdi and that immigration officials make decisions about visitor and immigration visas based on facts, not bigoted conspiracy theories.
END
CONTACTS:
- CAIR San Francisco Bay Area Communications Manager Lorrie Adam, (408) 498-5779, ladam@cair.com
- CAIR-San Francisco Bay Area Director Zahra Billoo (626)-252-00885, zbilloo@cair.com
- Ibrahim Hooper, National Communications Director, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com
- CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com
- CAIR Greater Los Angeles Area Communications Manager Enjy El-Kadi, (714) 851-4851, eelkadi@cair.com
- CAIR Sacramento Valley/Central California Communications Director Zaid Hisham, (916) 441-6269, zhisham@cair.com