LGC Newsletter – January 2015

BRITISH RESIDENTS:

Courtesy of Hannah Igbinidion

In mid-January, British Prime Minister David Cameron met US president Barack Obama in Washington to discuss various issues. During the talks, Cameron raised the case of Shaker Aamer, the last British resident held at Guantánamo Bay. During the meeting, Obama said that he would “prioritise Aamer’s case” but would still act in a manner consistent with US national security. This cryptic public exchange follows the fact that Aamer was cleared for release in 2007 and has never been charged, and the British government has been seeking his release since then. It has now been 10 years since the last British nationals were released from Guantánamo and almost 6 since the last British resident returned to the UK. No further information was given about why Aamer remains at Guantánamo.

http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/jan/16/shaker-aamer-guantanamo-bay-prioritise-obama-case

NEWS:

Guantánamo Bay:

Noor Uthman Muhammed, a former prisoner from Sudan, who was released in December 2013 after serving a 34-month sentence in addition to the time he had spent at Guantánamo after arriving there in 2002 after being convicted by a military tribunal of providing material support to a terrorist organisation and conspiracy, has had his charges acquitted. On 9 January the Pentagon said the conviction had been withdrawn after an appeals court rules that material support is not a legitimate war crime.

http://news.yahoo.com/us-dismisses-guantanamo-conviction-prisoner-sent-home-145840336.html

http://justsecurity.org/19014/shrinking-military-commissions/

This news could lead to the conviction of former Australian prisoner David Hicks being overturned as well. Hicks’ US lawyer Stephen Kenny said that he is likely to see a similar outcome to his case soon. Charged with many offences, Hicks was found "guilty" only on the charge of conspiracy. He did not plead guilty; he entered an Alford plea, whereby he did not admit guilt. He was later jailed in Australia on his return to the country in 2007 as part of his plea bargain deal, which was his only way of Guantánamo, even though an Alford plea is not recognised under Australian law.

The US later said in January that it admits that Hicks is innocent. The quashing of his conviction is a formality.

http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/jan/23/david-hicks-terrorism-conviction-overturned-soon-lawyer-says

Courtesy of Faiz Baluch

  

On 15 January, five Yemeni prisoners were released: four to Oman and one to Estonia. There are currently 122 prisoners at the detention facility. The five men are all in the 30s and 40s and had been cleared for release since at least 2009.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-30825964

Following the current unrest in Yemen, the US has said that it will not be returning prisoners to the country but that will not prevent the release of Yemeni prisoners who have been cleared for release for years to safe third countries.

A current prisoner, Mohamedou Slahi from Mauritania, has had a redacted version of his diary telling of his life in Guantánamo published following a battle to have it made public. He wrote it by hand in English when he was held in solitary confinement in 2005. The book details his journey to Guantánamo and tells of the torture and abuse he has faced, including gang rape and beatings. Since its release, the book has become a bestseller on Amazon and has been recommended by many writers and literary figures.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jan/29/guantanamo-diary-detainee-new-york-times-bestselling-author

His lawyers at the ACLU have put together the following petition calling for his release: https://www.aclu.org/secure/free-slahi

As well as releases, periodic reviews of prisoners who are deemed too dangerous to release continued. On 22 January, Egyptian Tariq Mahmud Ahmad Muhammad al Sawah, 57, who is suspected of being involved in Al Qaeda operations against the US in Afghanistan had a hearing to decide whether the US should continue to hold him or transfer him back to Egypt. Although suspected, he faces no charges and the periodic review board is an arbitrary administrative process which has no legal weight.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/22/us-usa-guantanamo-sawah-idUSKBN0KV1ZX20150122

On 27 January, Yemeni Saeed Ahmed Mohammed Abdullah Sarem Jarabh had his period review hearing. He too is suspected of having fought for Al Qaeda in Afghanistan, even though he has never been charged in 13 years and there is no actual evidence against him. His lawyers submitted that “he had studied Spanish and English at Guantanamo, had headed a prison farm planning project and had taken up painting” and was eager to reunite with his wife and children.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/27/us-usa-guantanamo-jarabh-idUSKBN0L02BS20150127

 

Courtesy of Faiz Baluch

Lawyers for Canadian former prisoner Omar Khadr, who is currently held in prison in Canada and is going blind, will apply for bail in his case in March pending the outcome of an appeal against his military tribunal conviction in the US. As shown in the cases of Hicks and Muhammed, the validity of military tribunal convictions is on shaky ground, but in spite of action to overturn such convictions in the US, the Canadian government remains a strong believer in the torture evidence-based secret plea bargain conviction given to Omar Khadr and opposes all moves to alleviate his suffering.

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/Omar+Khadr+will+seek+bail+March+while+awaits+appeal+conviction+court/10755079/story.html 

Extraordinary Rendition:

New information has come to light in recent weeks about Lithuania’s role in the extraordinary rendition programme, including new flight logs and information about the transfer of prisoners as part of efforts by human rights NGOs to hold the state to account for its operation of torture prisons for the CIA.

http://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/litigation/human-rights-monitoring-institute-v-republic-lithuania

LGC Activities:

The LGC marked the thirteenth anniversary of Guantánamo Bay with street theatre and talks at the US Embassy on 11 January. Around 150 people joined the demonstration, during which the public was given a public demonstration through artistic performance of the hypocrisy of Barack Obama over the closure of Guantánamo Bay. Speeches were given by Jean Lambert MEP, Ben Griffin from Veterans for Peace UK, Noa Kleinman from Amnesty International UK, Joy Hurcombe from the Save Shaker Aamer Campaign and solicitor Louise Christian.

http://londonguantanamocampaign.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/is-this-who-we-are-london-marks-13.html

Our next monthly “Shut Guantánamo!” demo, which marks eight years of our regular demonstrations outside the US Embassy and the second anniversary of the ongoing Guantánamo hunger strike will be on Thursday 5 February: https://www.facebook.com/events/765634710187956/

Courtesy of Hannah Igbinidion

“Is This Who We Are?”: London Marks 13 Years of Guantánamo Bay

Report by Aisha Maniar

courtesy of Faiz Baluch

Reading the Sunday newspapers on 11 January, one may be excused for not knowing that the date marks 13 years since the US-run concentration camp at Guantánamo Camp opened on 11 January 2002. The ongoing hunger strike and regime of indefinite detention for 127 prisoners almost all held wholly without charge or trial for so many years was barely worth a mention. To a media hungry for the next sensationalist scare story, torture and arbitrary detention are possibly too real. Providing little more than a pretext to justify the illegal actions of governments worldwide, the suffering of the remaining prisoners and their families otherwise lacks importance.

street theatre

This did not stop human rights activists across the world holding protest actions to mark this sombre anniversary. Protest actions were held in the UK, Ireland, Mexico and the US. In Australia, activists and singer-songwriter Les Thomas launched a new song “Guantanamo Blues” http://thejusticecampaign.org/?page_id=1927 In the evening, activists around the world joined the London Guantánamo Campaign and Free Omar Khadr Now for an online Twitter storm.

street theatre

In the afternoon, around 150 people joined the London Guantánamo Campaign for a unique protest action outside the US Embassy in London. As organisers of the main UK protest to mark the anniversary of Guantánamo opening over the past 8 years, people often expect to turn up to a sea of orange jumpsuits, black hoods and angry chanting. This year we adopted a very different approach. Realising that 13 years on, not only are people immune and accustomed to the abuses that occur at Guantánamo Bay on a daily basis, many are simply unaware altogether. With such little coherent coverage it is hard to know what is really happening. To address this, we performed a piece of street theatre called “The Three Obamas”, in which three actors, and some support, re-enacted various statements and promises Barack Obama has made since 2008 about closing Guantánamo Bay. As president, his first action in 2009 was to sign a decree ordering the closure of Guantánamo Bay by 2010. Five years later, 127 men are still waiting.

Noa Kleinman, Amnesty International UK

courtesy of Faiz Baluch

The street theatre was in two parts to reflect the period between 2011 and 2013, when Obama acknowledged his broken promises with silence and the start of the ongoing hunger strike at Guantánamo Bay which brought the prison camp back under the spotlight.

Ben Griffin, Veterans for Peace UK

Joy Hurcombe, Save Shaker Aamer Campaign

Jean Lambert, Green MEP for London

During the “intermission” between the two parts, activists were addressed by speakers including solicitor for several British nationals held in Guantánamo Bay, Louise Christian, London Green MEP Jean Lambert, Noa Kleinman from Amnesty International UK, Ben Griffin from Veterans for Peace UK and Joy Hurcombe from the Save Shaker Aamer Campaign. It has now been 10 years since the last British nationals were released from Guantánamo Bay. 

Louise Christian, solicitor

While the street theatre performance highlighted the hypocrisy of the US administration over Guantánamo Bay and CIA torture, the speakers focused mainly on the collusion of the British government. Pointing out that this year also marks the 800^th anniversary of the Magna Carta, it is ludicrous that British resident Shaker Aamer remains in Guantánamo Bay after 13 years without charge or trial. Speakers also called for an independent torture inquiry into the UK’s collusion with the US and transparency over Britain’s role in the US’s wars on terror. Joy Hurcombe reminded people that David Cameron will be meeting President Obama later this month and urged people to write to the prime minister and their MP to urge that the question of Shaker Aamer’s release to the UK feature high up the meeting agenda. In an election year, this is also a perfect opportunity to raise your concerns about Guantánamo Bay with local election candidates.

courtesy of Faiz Baluch

After 13 years, this is indeed who we are, along with the US and all its other allies. In the meantime, the campaign to close Guantánamo will continue and we hope you will join us. The London Guantánamo thanks everyone who joined us for a successful and enlightening event, in particular the actors, singers and props persons involved in the street theatre performance. Special thanks to our speakers for sharing their expertise and concerns with us and to Occupy London for providing live streaming throughout the event.

In case you missed or did not get enough yesterday, the Islam Channel will feature a one-hour special about the anniversary action on “The Report” at 9pm on Monday 12 January, on Sky channel 806 and Freeview.

Media of the event:

http://www.demotix.com/news/6631092/us-embassy-protest-marks-13-years-guant-namo-bay-prison#media-6631056

http://www.demotix.com/news/6626604/activists-enact-drama-us-embassy-mark-13-years-guant-namo-bay#media-6639177

http://www.demotix.com/news/6639401/who-we-are-action-mark-13-years-guant-namo-bay#media-6639220

http://www.demotix.com/news/6638717/thirteen-years-guantanamo-protest-tells-obama-close-it-now#media-6638661

Is This Who We Are? Action to mark 13 years of Guantánamo, Sunday 11 January 2015

Join us on 11 January - we will need volunteers for this action. To volunteer, please get in touch. If you'd like to film or photograph the event, please let us know!

This action will be followed later in the evening by a global Twitter storm - look out for more details

MEDIA RELEASE: Activists in London to Mark Thirteenth Anniversary of Guantánamo Bay with Demonstration outside US Embassy, Sunday 11 January 2015, 2-4pm

For immediate release: Friday 9 January 2015

Activists will gather outside the US Embassy in Grosvenor Square, London, to mark the 13^th anniversary of the opening of Guantánamo Bay prison camp.

The London Guantánamo Campaign [1] will host the demonstration, which will include:

·         a street theatre performance on Barack Obama’s many broken promises to close the Guantánamo Bay prison camp over the years (at 2:30pm)

·         speakers, including Louise Christian, solicitor for former prisoners [2]  

Aisha Maniar, organiser from the London Guantánamo Campaign, says, "Torture and the arbitrary, lawless regime at Guantánamo Bay have become defining features of our century. Barack Obama’s question posed rhetorically in 2013, “Is this who we are?” [3] received an emphatic, affirmative answer in the redacted US Senate report into CIA torture published at the end of 2014.

"The report also revealed the complicity of numerous US allies, including the United Kingdom. The British government must now take serious measures to investigate and prosecute all allegations of wrongdoing and torture complicity by UK agencies. It must also seize the opportunity presented by the recent drive to release Guantánamo prisoners held for 13 years without charge or trial, and cleared for release. It must use the opportunity to demand the release of the last British resident held in Guantánamo Bay, Shaker Aamer.”

 

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS

1. The London Guantánamo Campaign was set up in 2006 and campaigns for justice for all prisoners at Guantánamo Bay, for the closure of this and other secret prisons, and an end to the practice of extraordinary rendition. http://londonguantanamocampaign.blogspot.com     

2. More details on the London Guantánamo Campaign website: http://londonguantanamocampaign.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/is-this-who-we-are-action-to-mark-13.html

3. Among remarks made by Barack Obama on the Guantánamo hunger strike on 23 May 2013 http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/05/23/remarks-president-national-defense-university