Merve Gül Aydoğan Ağlarcı
04 June 2026•Update: 04 June 2026
Canadian activists who were detained aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla called Wednesday on Ottawa to meet with them and impose sanctions against Israel, saying the government has ignored their demands for accountability since their release from Israeli custody.
"During our detention, we were mistreated, subjected to physical and psychological violence, beaten, electrocuted, prevented from sleeping, threatened several times, tortured, or submitted to sexual assault, either by both men and women," Safa Chebbi, one of the Canadian participants, said during a news conference in Ottawa alongside New Democratic Party (NDP) lawmakers.
"We have written twice to the Government of Canada. We, as well as our families, have requested a meeting with Mark Carney, the prime minister, and Anita Anand, the minister of foreign affairs," Chebbi said, adding that they have "received no response so far."
"Canadians were illegally held captive, and Canada has continued to authorize military transfers to Israel and continues to ensure that Israel is not held accountable," she added, calling on the government to impose sanctions and a full arms embargo against Israel.
Ehab Lotayef, a founding member of the Canadian Boat to Gaza and member of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition steering committee, said he felt let down by Canada more than anyone else.
Noting that consular services never showed up during their detention in Israel, only appearing at the airport in Türkiye for what he called a "photo op," he said: "The medical treatment we got in Türkiye was courtesy of the Turkish government and supporters."
Describing conditions during their detention in Israel, Lotayef said: "We were fed only bottles of water and loaves of bread that were thrown to us like dogs, with 50 people plus in a 40-foot container."
Luiza Ravalli said she reached out to the Canadian Consular Support Line during two violent assaults before even reaching Greek territorial waters, pleading for help to return safely to her 11-year-old son, but received no meaningful assistance.
"Please let me be clear, the intentions of the Israeli military were to kill us, and the crews of two other boats sailing alongside us passively by kneecapping our vessels and setting us on a path to certain death," Ravalli said.
"The Canadians here with me today deserve to be heard," NDP MP Jenny Kwan said, calling on the prime minister to meet with the activists, pursue full accountability, and support independent investigations into their mistreatment.
Kwan said she had introduced the "No More Loopholes Act" in the House of Commons to prevent Canada from being complicit in what she called a genocide, but the Carney government voted against it.
"Minister Anand in the House of Commons said my bill was irresponsible, irresponsible, and outright said that Canada is abiding by the Arms Trade Treaty, when in fact she knows very well that there's a giant loophole where arms parts and components are being rammed through to the United States and then shipped elsewhere in violation of international law," Kwan said.
"The Canadian government is issuing an awful lot of statements and not taking the steps necessary to protect Canadian citizens, to uphold international law, and to actually play a meaningful role in stopping a genocide that is ongoing," NDP MP Heather McPherson said.
