Photo: Maktoob Media
A coalition of 102 faith-based, human rights and civil rights organisations has called on US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to intervene for the immediate and permanent release of Sama Safi, a 20-year-old US citizen and honours student at Birzeit University who has been held by the Israeli military since June 2.
In a letter sent on Monday, the organisations said Israeli soldiers raided Safi’s family home in the occupied West Bank in the early hours of June 2, forced their way inside and took her into custody.
The coalition raised particular concern over Safi’s health, stating that she has a serious chronic medical condition requiring specialised and continuous treatment abroad. It warned that any disruption in her care could result in a severe deterioration of her health, organ damage, hospitalisation or other life-threatening complications, Maktoob Media reported.
The organisations also alleged that Safi was transferred from the West Bank to Damon prison near Haifa, arguing that the transfer could violate the Fourth Geneva Convention. They further cited Safi’s account of her detention, in which she alleged that she was shackled and blindfolded, driven for several hours and initially denied food and water. She also alleged that she was subjected to verbal abuse and painful stress positions while restrained.
The coalition described Safi as an honours psychology student committed to helping others and noted her interests in oil painting, sketching and collage art. Its members include the Council on American-Islamic Relations Florida, IMEU Policy Project, Adalah Justice Project, American Friends Service Committee and Americans for Justice in Palestine Action.
The organisations said thousands of Americans and several lawmakers had urged US authorities to intervene in the case. They also referred to reports by UN experts and human rights groups alleging widespread mistreatment of Palestinian detainees, including torture, sexual abuse and the denial of adequate medical care, food and water.
The letter urged the US State Department to take immediate steps to secure Safi’s release, stressing that her continued detention could pose a serious risk to her health.
Several US lawmakers have also raised concerns about the case. Senator Chris Van Hollen said shortly after her detention that Safi was among four students taken from their homes in the West Bank and called on the US to secure her release. Representative Derek Tran later urged the Trump administration to use all available diplomatic means to bring her home safely.