Israel’s Supreme Court today rejected the appeal filed by Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya against the extension of his detention, ruling that he will continue to be held under the Unlawful Combatants Law without any criminal charges being brought against him.
According to information provided to Physicians for Human Rights Israel (PHRI) by Dr. Abu Safiya’s lawyer, Attorney Nasser Odeh, Dr. Abu Safiya remains in solitary confinement in Nafha Prison under harsh detention conditions and continues to be denied necessary medical care despite his deteriorating health.
Naji Abbas, Director of the Prisoners and Detainees Department at Physicians for Human Rights Israel, said:
"The rejection of Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya’s appeal and his continued detention without charge represent a profound moral and legal failure. Rather than upholding the fundamental principles of the rule of law and due process, the court has endorsed the indefinite detention of a hospital director who remains in solitary confinement while suffering from medical conditions that are not receiving appropriate treatment. The message sent by this decision is unmistakable: a medical professional can be deprived of his liberty indefinitely without being charged and without the authorities presenting evidence against him in open court.
Dr. Abu Safiya’s case is not an isolated one. It illustrates how judicial review proceedings for Palestinian detainees from Gaza have, in practice, become little more than a procedural formality. Every month, hundreds of detention review hearings take place, yet to the best of our knowledge they have not resulted in the meaningful reconsideration or revocation of detention orders—even in cases involving doctors and other medical personnel. We call for the immediate release of Dr. Abu Safiya and all other doctors who continue to be held without charge or trial."