SOAS University of London, where British political commentator and journalist Sami Hamdi completed his studies, has called for “full transparency and due process” in the case of his detention in the United States.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the university expressed deep concern over reports of Hamdi’s arrest. It emphasized that “there is no indication that Mr. Hamdi has violated any laws.” The institution urged U.S. authorities to ensure full transparency and due process in his case, while upholding his fundamental rights to freedom of expression and movement.
Hamdi, 35, was detained at San Francisco International Airport on October 26 by agents from the Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). He had been traveling in the U.S. as part of a speaking tour discussing Israel’s war on Gaza.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) condemned Hamdi’s detention as “a blatant affront to free speech,” suggesting that his arrest was linked to his criticism of Israel’s military actions in Gaza, which have resulted in at least 68,875 Palestinian deaths and 170,679 injuries since October 2023.
At the time of his detention, Hamdi had just attended a CAIR gala in Sacramento, California, and was scheduled to speak at another CAIR event in Florida. He was unaware that his visa had been revoked two days prior to his arrest.
The incident has sparked a legal battle, with Hamdi’s lawyers filing emergency petitions against his detention. His wife, Soumaya, and various civil society groups have also called on the United Kingdom government to intervene.
Soumaya told Al Jazeera that the U.S. government has not provided any evidence for revoking her husband’s visa, adding that this treatment makes him appear as an overstayer. She raised concerns about whether the U.S. has become a country where a British citizen with a valid visa can be detained arbitrarily.
She suggested that her husband may have been targeted due to his effectiveness in mobilizing support for Palestinian rights. According to her, Hamdi has been able to unite people across different political backgrounds, not only within Muslim communities.
Soumaya also warned that the arrest should be a matter of concern for all who value freedom of speech and the right of journalists to report without fear of persecution. She argued that if such actions are allowed, it could eventually affect U.S. citizens as well.
“The U.S. government must release Sami immediately,” she said. “They’ve made a big mistake, and they need to release him immediately. And Congress must investigate these ICE detentions because they are setting a dangerous precedent for the future ability of U.S. citizens to exercise their First Amendment rights properly. That’s bad news for everybody.”
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