Jack Letts, the 29-year-old Canadian-British citizen, has been held in a Kurdish prison in northeast Syria for over seven years without any official charges being laid against him. Letts is considered part of a broader crisis concerning thousands of foreign detainees accused of belonging to ISIS, whose home countries are hesitant to repatriate them. Kurdish authorities operate a network of temporary prisons housing around 10,000 suspects from more than 70 countries.

Letts was arrested while attempting to flee ISIS-controlled areas in 2017. In 2019, Britain revoked his citizenship, leaving Canada as his only option for return. Despite ongoing appeals from his family and human rights advocates, the Canadian government has taken no steps to bring him back, citing national security risks. Advocates argue that this inaction violates international law principles and turns overcrowded prisons into potential breeding grounds for extremism.

In a rare interview, Letts denied belonging to ISIS and expressed his willingness to face justice in Canada, stating, “Let me rot in a Canadian prison… at least I would be able to see my mom once a year.” This statement reflects his readiness to cooperate with Canadian authorities, even if it means serving a lengthy sentence.

The case of Jack Letts highlights the legal and humanitarian challenges facing countries in dealing with ISIS detainees, raising questions about international responsibility in addressing this issue.

For more details, a special investigation titled “Avery Haines Investigates” will air on CTV on Saturday, November 30, and will also be available on CTV’s official YouTube channel.