Justice For All Adopts Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya as “Prisoner of Haqq” as UN Declares Detention Arbitrary and Warns of Imminent Death

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NEW YORK, (July 10, 2026)

As the world marks over 32 months of the systematic dismantling of Gaza’s healthcare system, Justice For All today announces the adoption of Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya as its newest “Prisoner of Haqq,” a designation reserved for individuals unjustly imprisoned for their beliefs, identity or humanitarian work. This action comes as the U.N. Working Group on Arbitrary Detention formally declared Dr. Abu Safiya’s detention a violation of international law, echoing urgent warnings from U.N. experts that his deteriorating health places him at risk of “imminent death.”

Dr. Abu Safiya, a 52-year-old Palestinian pediatrician and former director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, was seized by Israeli forces during a raid on his hospital in December 2024. He is one of at least 14 Palestinian physicians currently held without charge, part of a broader pattern of detentions that has seen nearly 400 healthcare workers arrested since October 2023.

According to his lawyer and Physicians for Human Rights Israel (PHRI), Dr. Abu Safiya has been subjected to severe torture, including beatings with batons and electric shock sticks, repeated solitary confinement and systematic denial of medical care. He has reportedly lost 40 kilograms (88 pounds) and suffered multiple fractured ribs. His lawyer, Nasser Odeh, says Dr. Abu Safiya told him from his cell: “This is the last time you’ll see me. They brought me here to kill me. This is the end.”

Dr. Abu Safiya’s case is emblematic of the lawless system of “administrative detention” in which thousands of Palestinians are held without charge or trial, including hundreds of children.

Imam Abdul Malik Mujahid, President of Justice For All stated:

“The international community’s silence in the face of this atrocity is deafening. Dr. Abu Safiya represents the conscience of medicine itself, and his imprisonment is a war crime that demands immediate global action. We will not allow his name to become another footnote in history while he still draws breath.”

Imam Saffet Catovic, Director of U.N. Operations, Justice For All observed:

“The UN has declared Dr. Abu Safiya’s detention arbitrary and his death imminent. Israel ignores both findings. This is not a legal failure, it is a moral collapse. At Justice For All, we are taking this fight directly to the Security Council and the ICC. Dr. Abu Safiya is a Prisoner of Haqq (Conscience), and we will leverage every U.N. mechanism available to secure his release before it is too late.”

Justice For All is a human rights organization accredited by the United Nations focused on Muslim minority issues and anti-genocide advocacy

Contact: Imam Saffet Catovic, Director of U.N. Operations

Email: saffet@justiceforall.org.  Phone: 202-908-JUST

Website: https://www.justiceforall.org

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