Family urges UK to act as Sami Hamdi suffers health emergency in ICE detention

The family of British journalist Sami Hamdi has urged the UK government to intervene after he suffered a health emergency in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention in the US.

“We demand the UK government intervene immediately to ensure Sami is immediately returned home to us before his health suffers any further,” the family said in a statement. 

“In a phone call with his wife Soumaya this weekend, Sami shared that he was experiencing excruciating pain on his left side and needed to be seen by a medical professional immediately,” the family said.

“He has now been able to access medical attention, but we remain deeply concerned that his continued detention is damaging his health," the statement added. 

A US federal court has raised "serious questions" about the legality of detaining Hamdi, according to a legal advocacy group.

Hamdi was on a speaking tour across North America when he was detained.