Mamdani condemns ‘Israeli’ detention of Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has leveled scathing criticism against ‘Israeli’ authorities for the continued detention of Palestinian doctor Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, joining a growing chorus of international human rights figures demanding his immediate release.

The mayor’s statements come amid mounting global concern regarding the severe and rapid decline of the doctor’s health inside ‘Israeli’ prisons.

Mamdani questions prolonged imprisonment

In an official statement, Mayor Mamdani questioned the justification behind the prolonged imprisonment of the Palestinian doctor, drawing attention to the length of his captivity.

“Why does Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya have to wait to gain his freedom? And why must he wait for more than 18 months to be released from Israel’s prisons?” Mamdani asked.

The New York City Mayor emphasized that the international community remains fully aware of the circumstances surrounding the doctor’s capture.

He noted that Dr. Abu Safiya “remains detained to this day, after the world witnessed the moment of his arrest as he was leaving the hospital where he worked, and also witnessed how imprisonment exhausted his body and led to the deterioration of his condition.”

Imminent danger to life

Mamdani’s public condemnation aligns with critical updates provided by the doctor’s legal defense.

Following a visit at the beginning of July, Dr. Abu Safiya’s lawyer confirmed that his client is suffering from extreme physical weakness alongside profound physical and psychological deterioration.

The situation has prompted urgent interventions from global monitors.

Prominent human rights organizations, led primarily by Amnesty International, have officially warned that the detained doctor’s life is now facing imminent danger.

The organizations have jointly renewed their demands for his unconditional, immediate release and the urgent provision of the necessary medical treatment to stabilize his failing health.