1: Get your MP to sign EDM 1093:
The London Guantánamo Campaign has teamed up with Caroline Lucas MP (Brighton Pavilion, Green Party) to produce the following EDM:
EDM 1093: Guantanamo Bay
"That this House notes with regret that President Obama's pledge to close the US Military Detention Centre at Guantánamo Bay by January 2010 is almost one year overdue and little closer to realisation; welcomes gestures by other European States to accommodate and receive innocent prisoners who have been cleared for release to help close the facility; notes with dismay that on 11 January 2011 the detention facility will have been open for nine years and that British resident Shaker Aamer has now been held there without charge or trial for almost the same length of time; urges the Government to step up its action to secure his release without further delay; and further notes the case of Ahmed Belbacha, previously resident in the UK and facing the imminent threat of forced return to his native Algeria where there are fears he will face abuse of his human rights; applauds the lead taken by countries such as Ireland, France, Spain, Germany and Bulgaria, who have accepted prisoners cleared for release from Guantánamo Bay by the US authorities on humanitarian grounds but who cannot return to their country of origin; and urges the Government to take similar measures to accept a number of such cleared prisoners."
We urge everyone to ask their MP to sign this important EDM. On 16 November, when Justice Secretary Kenneth Clarke made the official statement about the out-of-court settlement with former prisoners concerning the government’s collusion in their torture and illegal detention, support for the closure of Guantánamo by MPs across the board was unequivocal. Sadiq Khan MP (Tooting, Labour) stated: “The Labour party has been, and will remain, completely opposed to Guantanamo Bay” and Conservative MP Tobias Ellwood in whose Bournemouth East constituency Ahmed Belbacha lived declared, “I am sorry that we did not do more to speak out against Guantanamo Bay and everything that it stands for”. Ask your MP to take a stand against Guantánamo by signing the EDM and joining the LGC on Tuesday 11 January for a lunchtime vigil in Trafalgar Square to mark the 9th anniversary of Guantánamo Bay. Write to your MP [find their contact details at www.theyworkforyou.com] and ask them:
- to sign the EDM
- to join the 9th anniversary vigil on Tuesday 11 January 2011
A short e-mail should be enough.
Friday, November 26, 2010
Friday, November 19, 2010
Amnesty International action for Shaker Aamer
From Amnesty International UK: please take the following action for Shaker Aamer and circulate to others
UK Foreign Secretary William Hague reportedly raised Shaker’s case with US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton at a meeting in Washington on 17 November, which is very welcome news. Please contact your MP and ask them to raise Shaker Aamer’s case with UK Foreign Secretary William Hague, urging him to maintain the pressure on the US to release Shaker or give him a fair trial. Please use the text below (but feel free to personalise your letter to make a bigger impact and to add your own voice):
[LETTER TEXT]
Dear [NAME] MP
I am writing to you about Shaker Aamer, the former British resident who has been detained without trial for nearly nine years in the US detention facility at Guantánamo Bay. He alleges that he has been tortured.
Shaker Aamer has never been charged or convicted of any criminal offence while in US custody. Despite this, he remains in detention. Shaker’s British wife and children live in London and his youngest child has never met his father.
President Obama has pledged to close Guantánamo Bay and the British government has asked the US for Shaker Aamer’s release – most recently in a November meeting in Washington, according to reports. Despite the seeming willingness of the UK authorities to permit his return to the UK and the absence to date of any charges, Shaker Aamer remains detained without trial at Guantánamo Bay.
But, the UK Government must maintain pressure on the US for Shaker Aamer’s release if his case is to be resolved.
Please raise Shaker’s case with the Foreign Secretary William Hague and:
-Welcome his statement in Washington that he has called on US Secretary of State Clinton to return Shaker Aamer to the UK and request that he reports back to parliament on these discussions;
-Urge the Foreign Secretary to continue to press the US to quickly agree a timetable for Shaker’s trial or return to the UK.
Jane Ellison MP is the Constituency MP for Shaker Aamer’s wife and children. She will be happy to brief you further on the case.
Yours sincerely, NAME, ADDRESS FOR REPLY (address optional)
Better still, of course, is to arrange a meeting with your MP and raise the concerns set out in this letter directly with them.
Please raise any queries about this action by emailing activism@amnesty.org.uk
UK Foreign Secretary William Hague reportedly raised Shaker’s case with US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton at a meeting in Washington on 17 November, which is very welcome news. Please contact your MP and ask them to raise Shaker Aamer’s case with UK Foreign Secretary William Hague, urging him to maintain the pressure on the US to release Shaker or give him a fair trial. Please use the text below (but feel free to personalise your letter to make a bigger impact and to add your own voice):
[LETTER TEXT]
Dear [NAME] MP
I am writing to you about Shaker Aamer, the former British resident who has been detained without trial for nearly nine years in the US detention facility at Guantánamo Bay. He alleges that he has been tortured.
Shaker Aamer has never been charged or convicted of any criminal offence while in US custody. Despite this, he remains in detention. Shaker’s British wife and children live in London and his youngest child has never met his father.
President Obama has pledged to close Guantánamo Bay and the British government has asked the US for Shaker Aamer’s release – most recently in a November meeting in Washington, according to reports. Despite the seeming willingness of the UK authorities to permit his return to the UK and the absence to date of any charges, Shaker Aamer remains detained without trial at Guantánamo Bay.
But, the UK Government must maintain pressure on the US for Shaker Aamer’s release if his case is to be resolved.
Please raise Shaker’s case with the Foreign Secretary William Hague and:
-Welcome his statement in Washington that he has called on US Secretary of State Clinton to return Shaker Aamer to the UK and request that he reports back to parliament on these discussions;
-Urge the Foreign Secretary to continue to press the US to quickly agree a timetable for Shaker’s trial or return to the UK.
Jane Ellison MP is the Constituency MP for Shaker Aamer’s wife and children. She will be happy to brief you further on the case.
Yours sincerely, NAME, ADDRESS FOR REPLY (address optional)
Better still, of course, is to arrange a meeting with your MP and raise the concerns set out in this letter directly with them.
Please raise any queries about this action by emailing activism@amnesty.org.uk
Monday, November 01, 2010
LGC Newsletter - October 2010
LGC Newsletter – October 2010
NEWS:
Guantánamo Bay:
The first civil trial of a Guantánamo prisoner was due to start on 6 October in New York. At a hearing on that day, Judge Lewis Kaplan, in the case of Tanzanian Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani, accused of involvement in two US Embassy bombings in east Africa in 1998, ruled to prevent a key prosecution witness from giving evidence at the trial, as it was held that he had mentioned Mr. Ghailani when interrogated under duress. The bulk of the admissible evidence against him was to have come from this witness. Mr. Ghailani, 36, who denies all charges against him, was kidnapped and “disappeared” in Pakistan in 2004 and was taken to a CIA secret prison where he was tortured before being taken to Guantánamo Bay in 2006. The court already held that any evidence obtained while he was detained at secret prisons or at Guantánamo Bay is inadmissible. As several other witnesses for the prosecution in the case have died in the 12-year interim period, the US government’s case against him is increasingly weak. The trial was delayed for a week and started again on 12 October. After the jury was sworn in, the trial started with the prosecution accusing Mr. Ghailani of being an Al Qaeda operative intent on killing and his defence team claiming otherwise. The trial, which is expected to last weeks before the jury deliberates on its verdict, may be shorter than was originally anticipated. This is a key case to test how the Obama administration may deal with other prisoners facing charges at Guantánamo Bay through the civilian courts, instead of at a military tribunal. If convicted, Mr. Ghailani faces life imprisonment. Others previously tried and convicted in this case are currently serving life sentences in the US.
Following the postponement of 24-year old Canadian Omar Khadr’s military tribunal in August after his defence lawyer was taken ill, the case was due to resume on 18 October. However, moves have been made recently to reach a plea bargain, whereby Omar Khadr would plead guilty to all charges, including killing a US military officer when he was 15, and then be allowed to serve a shortened sentence in Canada. For this reason, the hearing on 18 October was adjourned again with a sentencing hearing set for 25 October, at which Omar Khadr pleaded guilty to the charges. On 31 October, he was sentenced by a military jury to 40 years’ imprisonment for war crimes. This was apparently a harsher sentence than the prosecution had hoped for. The details of the plea bargain were kept secret from the jury who passed the sentence. Under the plea bargain, Omar Khadr waived his right to challenge the charges or the sentence. Also under the plea bargain, he will only serve one more year in US custody, as the deal ensured that he would not serve more than eight years in total, and he may serve the other seven in Canada. Although not present or represented when the deal was negotiated between the US military and Mr. Khadr’s lawyers, the Canadian government has said, in leaked official documents, that it will consider this matter favourably, i.e. allow Omar Khadr to be repatriated and serve the rest of his sentence there. Omar Khadr’s Canadian lawyer, Dennis Edney, said after the verdict, that “fundamental principles of law and due process were long since abandoned in Omar’s case” and “We have over 1,200 American soldiers killed in Afghanistan, and we’ve made a 15-year-old boy pay for that” (Source: Vancouver Sun). He also reported that his client had said that he had not expected to get justice at Guantánamo Bay. As in a separate "guilty" plea entered by another prisoner a few months ago, the details of the deal will remain secret and the full evidence against Omar will not be made known. Omar Khadr had rejected a similar plea deal earlier this year. Although it claims to have played no part in negotiating the deal, through, it the Canadian and American governments have both avoided embarrassment over their illegal and abusive treatment of this young man. The US realised that given the circumstances (tortured child soldier) and the weakness of the evidence against him, in a case brought more than eight years after the facts were alleged to have taken place, Omar Khadr would and could not get a fair hearing and US prosecutors would end up looking ridiculous in the process, even though the judge had allowed torture evidence to be admitted in his case. Omar Khadr is still the loser in this process, having lost more than a third of his life so far and his youth in Guantánamo Bay, he is now also a convicted terrorist on the basis of a face-saving plea bargain for the US and Canada. He will not be released until he is at least 32.
A new documentary was released in Canada at the start of the resumption of his trial: http://www.youdontlikethetruth.com/
Amnesty International issued the following news after the guilty plea was made public: http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/usa-must-address-omar-khadr-rights-violations-following-plea-deal-2010-10-25
Alex Neve, the secretary general of Amnesty Canada has been attending the hearing and updating reports on his blog: http://www.amnesty.ca/blog_post2.php?id=2186
Eight years on, in spite of a change of government and cosmetic improvements to the detention facilities, there is still no interest in justice, due process or the basic rights and dignity of prisoners. Outside of the parallel “justice system” Guantánamo has created, which runs contrary to recognised international law, individuals such as Omar Khadr would never have even been brought to trial, let alone be accused of war crimes. As stated by the LGC when this case started in August this year, its ramifications for other child soldiers, of whom there are up to 500,000 in this world, will be disastrous. The prosecution stating that Mr. Khadr was not a “victim” but a “terrorist”, without providing substantive evidence to back this up, and circumventing the most basic procedures and standards of any criminal trial, henceforth sets a very dangerous precedent.
Estonia decided this month that it would not agree to accept prisoners from Guantánamo Bay. Like the British government, it supports the EU policy of accepting inmates, as various countries, like Ireland, Hungary, Bulgaria, Slovakia, France, Germany and others have done, but refuses to accept prisoners itself.
In mid-October, former Australian prisoner David Hicks published his book, currently only available in Australia, Guantánamo: My Journey, covering his five-year prison ordeal at Guantánamo from 2002 to 2007. He was released following conviction and served part of his sentence in Australia where he was banned from speaking to the media for one year. The book took two years to write and excerpts from it were published in Adelaide Now: http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/extracts-from-david-hicks-memoir-guantanamo-bay-my-journey/story-e6frea83-1225939306465
As well as courting controversy for writing the book, the book is also currently being investigated to see whether it comes under the procedures of crime laws which would make it illegal for Mr. Hicks to profit from his conviction. However, as the process at Guantánamo Bay is illegal, it may not apply. The Australian police and courts are currently considering this issue.
The latest terrorist bomb threat story from Yemen is a further set back for the release of over 80 Yemeni prisoners still held at the prison camp. As well as constituting the single largest nationality of prisoners, most of them are also free to leave if they can find somewhere to go to. Following similar threats in late 2009/early 2010, the US suspended the return of Yemeni prisoners to their country. Only one has been released after the US government was ordered to by a federal court. Recently, the US prevented another prisoner whose release to Luxembourg it was negotiating after the man expressed his wish to return to his country even if he was sent to Luxembourg first. Yemen, which has now been added to the list of most dangerous countries in the world and a sponsor of international terrorism, is one of the poorest countries in the world, with a high infant mortality rate, one of the highest rates of malnutrition in the world and where many have to live without the most basic of essentials. The prisoners just want to return to their homes and their families and are now being held hostage at Guantánamo due to world events they clearly have nothing to do with.
Extraordinary rendition:
In early October, Reprieve announced that, along with other human rights NGOs in Pakistan, it was bringing legal action against the Pakistani government in the Lahore High Court on behalf of seven Pakistani nationals held prisoner indefinitely and without charge at Bagram, over its involvement in their kidnap, “rendition” and detention. Some of the prisoners have been held for years, one has been held there since he was 14 and others have been abused; all are held without knowing the reason why. They have limited contact with their families through the Red Cross and no access to lawyers.
In an unusual move, on 28 October, the head of MI6, Sir John Sawers, gave a first public talk about the work of his agency. In it, he stated that the UK was not involved in the use of torture but that it faced a “dilemma” over its use. He claimed that his agency always respects human rights. However, he criticised operational secrets of both the UK security services and foreign partners being made public in court cases, such as in the Binyam Mohamed case. While in the ongoing case brought by former Guantánamo prisoners from the UK, government lawyers urged the judiciary not to interfere in the executive’s role by seeking the disclosure of security secrets, Sawers felt it necessary to tell judges how to do their job by asking them to ban the disclosure of any secret evidence from the UK security services or the CIA. The involvement of the security services and senior officials in various ministries, including ministers, in torture in Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere, has already been clearly evidenced through the Binyam Mohamed case, the current Guantánamo case and the ongoing Chilcot Inquiry. Sir John Sawers also welcomed the forthcoming Gibson Inquiry into Britain’s involvement in “mistreatment” overseas but asked that any information concerning MI6 be kept confidential.
LGC Activities:
The October monthly Shut Down Guantánamo! on Friday 1 October was attended by 6 people. The next demonstration will be on Friday 5 November at 6-7pm outside the US Embassy, Grosvenor Square, W1A 1AE.
Many thanks to everyone who wrote to the prisoners released to Slovakia in August/September this year. Below is a message from Reprieve on their behalf. You can continue to write to the three prisoners by writing to Polly Rossdale, c/o Reprieve, PO Box 52742, London, EC4P 4WS:
Adel, Polad and Rafiq, the three men, former Guantanamo prisoners resettled in Slovakia, would like to send their salams and thanks to everyone who kindly sent them cards and letters of support.
It means a lot to them to know that people wish them well, especially after the difficult time they had when they first arrived in Slovakia.
The situation is getting better for them and they are beginning to enjoy their new lives after Guantanamo.
If anyone else would like to write to the men please send letters c/o Polly Rossdale at Reprieve.
Thank you, Chloe and Polly (‘Life After Guantanamo’ team at Reprieve)
For more on this action and the former prisoners in Slovakia:
http://londonguantanamocampaign.blogspot.com/2010/08/write-to-released-guantanamo-prisoners.html
NEWS:
Guantánamo Bay:
The first civil trial of a Guantánamo prisoner was due to start on 6 October in New York. At a hearing on that day, Judge Lewis Kaplan, in the case of Tanzanian Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani, accused of involvement in two US Embassy bombings in east Africa in 1998, ruled to prevent a key prosecution witness from giving evidence at the trial, as it was held that he had mentioned Mr. Ghailani when interrogated under duress. The bulk of the admissible evidence against him was to have come from this witness. Mr. Ghailani, 36, who denies all charges against him, was kidnapped and “disappeared” in Pakistan in 2004 and was taken to a CIA secret prison where he was tortured before being taken to Guantánamo Bay in 2006. The court already held that any evidence obtained while he was detained at secret prisons or at Guantánamo Bay is inadmissible. As several other witnesses for the prosecution in the case have died in the 12-year interim period, the US government’s case against him is increasingly weak. The trial was delayed for a week and started again on 12 October. After the jury was sworn in, the trial started with the prosecution accusing Mr. Ghailani of being an Al Qaeda operative intent on killing and his defence team claiming otherwise. The trial, which is expected to last weeks before the jury deliberates on its verdict, may be shorter than was originally anticipated. This is a key case to test how the Obama administration may deal with other prisoners facing charges at Guantánamo Bay through the civilian courts, instead of at a military tribunal. If convicted, Mr. Ghailani faces life imprisonment. Others previously tried and convicted in this case are currently serving life sentences in the US.
Following the postponement of 24-year old Canadian Omar Khadr’s military tribunal in August after his defence lawyer was taken ill, the case was due to resume on 18 October. However, moves have been made recently to reach a plea bargain, whereby Omar Khadr would plead guilty to all charges, including killing a US military officer when he was 15, and then be allowed to serve a shortened sentence in Canada. For this reason, the hearing on 18 October was adjourned again with a sentencing hearing set for 25 October, at which Omar Khadr pleaded guilty to the charges. On 31 October, he was sentenced by a military jury to 40 years’ imprisonment for war crimes. This was apparently a harsher sentence than the prosecution had hoped for. The details of the plea bargain were kept secret from the jury who passed the sentence. Under the plea bargain, Omar Khadr waived his right to challenge the charges or the sentence. Also under the plea bargain, he will only serve one more year in US custody, as the deal ensured that he would not serve more than eight years in total, and he may serve the other seven in Canada. Although not present or represented when the deal was negotiated between the US military and Mr. Khadr’s lawyers, the Canadian government has said, in leaked official documents, that it will consider this matter favourably, i.e. allow Omar Khadr to be repatriated and serve the rest of his sentence there. Omar Khadr’s Canadian lawyer, Dennis Edney, said after the verdict, that “fundamental principles of law and due process were long since abandoned in Omar’s case” and “We have over 1,200 American soldiers killed in Afghanistan, and we’ve made a 15-year-old boy pay for that” (Source: Vancouver Sun). He also reported that his client had said that he had not expected to get justice at Guantánamo Bay. As in a separate "guilty" plea entered by another prisoner a few months ago, the details of the deal will remain secret and the full evidence against Omar will not be made known. Omar Khadr had rejected a similar plea deal earlier this year. Although it claims to have played no part in negotiating the deal, through, it the Canadian and American governments have both avoided embarrassment over their illegal and abusive treatment of this young man. The US realised that given the circumstances (tortured child soldier) and the weakness of the evidence against him, in a case brought more than eight years after the facts were alleged to have taken place, Omar Khadr would and could not get a fair hearing and US prosecutors would end up looking ridiculous in the process, even though the judge had allowed torture evidence to be admitted in his case. Omar Khadr is still the loser in this process, having lost more than a third of his life so far and his youth in Guantánamo Bay, he is now also a convicted terrorist on the basis of a face-saving plea bargain for the US and Canada. He will not be released until he is at least 32.
A new documentary was released in Canada at the start of the resumption of his trial: http://www.youdontlikethetruth.com/
Amnesty International issued the following news after the guilty plea was made public: http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/usa-must-address-omar-khadr-rights-violations-following-plea-deal-2010-10-25
Alex Neve, the secretary general of Amnesty Canada has been attending the hearing and updating reports on his blog: http://www.amnesty.ca/blog_post2.php?id=2186
Eight years on, in spite of a change of government and cosmetic improvements to the detention facilities, there is still no interest in justice, due process or the basic rights and dignity of prisoners. Outside of the parallel “justice system” Guantánamo has created, which runs contrary to recognised international law, individuals such as Omar Khadr would never have even been brought to trial, let alone be accused of war crimes. As stated by the LGC when this case started in August this year, its ramifications for other child soldiers, of whom there are up to 500,000 in this world, will be disastrous. The prosecution stating that Mr. Khadr was not a “victim” but a “terrorist”, without providing substantive evidence to back this up, and circumventing the most basic procedures and standards of any criminal trial, henceforth sets a very dangerous precedent.
Estonia decided this month that it would not agree to accept prisoners from Guantánamo Bay. Like the British government, it supports the EU policy of accepting inmates, as various countries, like Ireland, Hungary, Bulgaria, Slovakia, France, Germany and others have done, but refuses to accept prisoners itself.
In mid-October, former Australian prisoner David Hicks published his book, currently only available in Australia, Guantánamo: My Journey, covering his five-year prison ordeal at Guantánamo from 2002 to 2007. He was released following conviction and served part of his sentence in Australia where he was banned from speaking to the media for one year. The book took two years to write and excerpts from it were published in Adelaide Now: http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/extracts-from-david-hicks-memoir-guantanamo-bay-my-journey/story-e6frea83-1225939306465
As well as courting controversy for writing the book, the book is also currently being investigated to see whether it comes under the procedures of crime laws which would make it illegal for Mr. Hicks to profit from his conviction. However, as the process at Guantánamo Bay is illegal, it may not apply. The Australian police and courts are currently considering this issue.
The latest terrorist bomb threat story from Yemen is a further set back for the release of over 80 Yemeni prisoners still held at the prison camp. As well as constituting the single largest nationality of prisoners, most of them are also free to leave if they can find somewhere to go to. Following similar threats in late 2009/early 2010, the US suspended the return of Yemeni prisoners to their country. Only one has been released after the US government was ordered to by a federal court. Recently, the US prevented another prisoner whose release to Luxembourg it was negotiating after the man expressed his wish to return to his country even if he was sent to Luxembourg first. Yemen, which has now been added to the list of most dangerous countries in the world and a sponsor of international terrorism, is one of the poorest countries in the world, with a high infant mortality rate, one of the highest rates of malnutrition in the world and where many have to live without the most basic of essentials. The prisoners just want to return to their homes and their families and are now being held hostage at Guantánamo due to world events they clearly have nothing to do with.
Extraordinary rendition:
In early October, Reprieve announced that, along with other human rights NGOs in Pakistan, it was bringing legal action against the Pakistani government in the Lahore High Court on behalf of seven Pakistani nationals held prisoner indefinitely and without charge at Bagram, over its involvement in their kidnap, “rendition” and detention. Some of the prisoners have been held for years, one has been held there since he was 14 and others have been abused; all are held without knowing the reason why. They have limited contact with their families through the Red Cross and no access to lawyers.
In an unusual move, on 28 October, the head of MI6, Sir John Sawers, gave a first public talk about the work of his agency. In it, he stated that the UK was not involved in the use of torture but that it faced a “dilemma” over its use. He claimed that his agency always respects human rights. However, he criticised operational secrets of both the UK security services and foreign partners being made public in court cases, such as in the Binyam Mohamed case. While in the ongoing case brought by former Guantánamo prisoners from the UK, government lawyers urged the judiciary not to interfere in the executive’s role by seeking the disclosure of security secrets, Sawers felt it necessary to tell judges how to do their job by asking them to ban the disclosure of any secret evidence from the UK security services or the CIA. The involvement of the security services and senior officials in various ministries, including ministers, in torture in Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere, has already been clearly evidenced through the Binyam Mohamed case, the current Guantánamo case and the ongoing Chilcot Inquiry. Sir John Sawers also welcomed the forthcoming Gibson Inquiry into Britain’s involvement in “mistreatment” overseas but asked that any information concerning MI6 be kept confidential.
LGC Activities:
The October monthly Shut Down Guantánamo! on Friday 1 October was attended by 6 people. The next demonstration will be on Friday 5 November at 6-7pm outside the US Embassy, Grosvenor Square, W1A 1AE.
Many thanks to everyone who wrote to the prisoners released to Slovakia in August/September this year. Below is a message from Reprieve on their behalf. You can continue to write to the three prisoners by writing to Polly Rossdale, c/o Reprieve, PO Box 52742, London, EC4P 4WS:
Adel, Polad and Rafiq, the three men, former Guantanamo prisoners resettled in Slovakia, would like to send their salams and thanks to everyone who kindly sent them cards and letters of support.
It means a lot to them to know that people wish them well, especially after the difficult time they had when they first arrived in Slovakia.
The situation is getting better for them and they are beginning to enjoy their new lives after Guantanamo.
If anyone else would like to write to the men please send letters c/o Polly Rossdale at Reprieve.
Thank you, Chloe and Polly (‘Life After Guantanamo’ team at Reprieve)
For more on this action and the former prisoners in Slovakia:
http://londonguantanamocampaign.blogspot.com/2010/08/write-to-released-guantanamo-prisoners.html
Sunday, October 03, 2010
Beyond Words…Nine Years of Guantánamo Bay
To mark the ninth anniversary of the opening of the illegal detention and torture camp at Guantánamo Bay on 11 January 2002, the London Guantánamo Campaign will be holding a silent lunchtime vigil from 1-2pm on Tuesday 11 January 2011 on the north side of Trafalgar Square, opposite the National Gallery (at the top of the steps).
We invite you to join us for part or all of your lunch break to mark this anniversary. Demonstrators are invited to wear orange jumpsuits (which we will provide) and to hold up placards in an otherwise silent protest.
Nine years since Guantánamo Bay opened, please join us to protest this unspeakable injustice, the silence of our government in its collusion in gross human rights violations and the deafening silence of the international community over the past nine years.
Please watch this space for more details or get in touch.
LGC Newsletter - September 2010
LGC Newsletter – September 2010
NEWS:
British Residents:
In the ongoing court case brought by six former British prisoners, residents and nationals, to force the government to reveal what it knew of their torture, abuse and arbitrary detention, more documents have come to light showing that former Prime Minister Tony Blair knew of the torture faced by British prisoners at Guantánamo Bay within weeks of the facility opening in 2002. A letter dated 18 January 2002 contained handwritten comments that were allegedly made by Tony Blair on the treatment of prisoners:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/law/interactive/2010/sep/28/foreign-office-memo-britons-guantanamo . The government was also made aware that prisoners had been tortured in Afghanistan. Several of the documents made public were heavily redacted: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/sep/28/torture-warnings-britain-us-ignored
Guantánamo Bay:
On 29 September, the jury was sworn in the case of Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani, 36, a Tanzanian who is the first prisoner due to stand trial in a civilian court in New York as opposed to before a military tribunal. Charged with involvement in the 1998 bombing of US Embassies in east Africa, he is accused of purchasing the explosives used in those attacks. He was arrested in Pakistan in 2004 and was held at secret CIA "black sites" for two years, during which time American officials have admitted that he was subject to "enhanced interrogation techniques”. He was transferred to Guantánamo Bay in 2006 and then to the US mainland in June 2009 to stand trial before a Federal court. In May this year, his lawyers lost a case to have all charges against him dropped as he had been tortured at Guantánamo Bay and the 57 months that he was held there denied him the right to have a trial within a reasonable amount of time. However a Manhattan judge ruled that the national security interest in the case was overriding and it could go ahead. Ghailani, who has denied all charges, was due to start his hearing on Monday 4 October, however this has been set back to Wednesday 6 October. The trial has been set back as approval is pending for a key prosecution witness. The trial is likely to last several months and could set an important precedent for the civilian trial of other prisoners facing charges. Several other men prosecuted for the same crime in 2001 are currently serving life sentences.
In mid-September, Germany accepted two prisoners to settle in the country. This is in addition to the efforts it made to have its one resident repatriated several years ago. One of the men, now settled in Hamburg, is Ayman Al-Shurafa, a Saudi-born Palestinian prisoner, who was free to leave for several years but could not return to the Palestinian Territories. Another prisoner has been settled in another area. Both have been offered homes and medical care. Germany’s interior minister said that Germany has "made its humanitarian contribution to closing the detention centre”. Luxembourg, which had also expressed an interest in accepting a prisoner and had entered negotiations with the US government to accept a Yemeni prisoner backed down after the US rejected the release of the prisoner as he had expressed his intention to return to his own country. The US is refusing to repatriate Yemeni prisoners, who make up the single largest nationality of prisoners held at Guantánamo Bay. The Maldive Islands are also close to requesting the settlement of the last Palestinian prisoner, who also cannot return home, to settle there.
On 29 September, a federal judge in Washington dismissed a case brought by the family of two men who died in mysterious circumstances at Guantánamo Bay in June 2006. The families of Saudi prisoner Yasser Al-Zahrani and Yemeni Salah Al-Salami asked for the case into their deaths to be re-examined following new evidence that emerged this year. The Pentagon claims that the two men and a second Saudi prisoner committed suicide, however statements from soldiers on duty that night claim that the men were taken to another camp and later returned to their cells, shortly after which it was reported that they had committed suicide. The judge said that the allegations themselves were not enough to constitute evidence and that matters relating to conditions of detention at Guantánamo Bay were for Congress to resolve, due to national security concerns, as stated in another court ruling.
Journalist Andy Worthington is currently updating the information he has on the 176 remaining prisoner at Guantánamo Bay in eight instalments. The introduction and lead into the other parts can be read here:
http://www.andyworthington.co.uk/2010/09/15/introducing-the-definitive-list-of-the-remaining-prisoners-in-guantanamo/ The articles update their legal status, new information about them as well as recent information about conditions at Guantánamo Bay and the lack of legal process there or any questioning about it.
Extraordinary rendition:
On 9 September, the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled narrowly (6-5) to prevent victims of extraordinary rendition, including British resident Binyam Mohamed from suing Jeppesen Dataplan, a division of Boeing, for its involvement in "torture" flights, organising and transporting them to and from “black sites” for the CIA. Last year, five victims of extraordinary rendition in a case brought by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) were given leave to bring their case, however the Obama administration, following firmly in the footsteps of its predecessor, invoked the "state secrets doctrine", claiming that it was not in the interest of national security to have the case heard in public. The judges “reluctantly” accepted the government’s arguments to keep all the information secret due to national security concerns, however conceding that the CIA had acted wrongly, whether or not that information could be produced openly in court, it ordered the government to pay reparations to the plaintiffs, even though they had lost the case. The ACLU will now appeal the case to the US Supreme Court.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/sep/09/us-court-binyam-mohamed-torture
On 12 September, a group of 9 UK human rights NGOs wrote to the chair of the torture inquiry, Sir Peter Gibson, setting out the areas they believe the inquiry should cover in order to be thorough and effective. The letter can be read at: http://reprieve.org.uk/2010_09_12_letter_from_ngos_re_inquiry These measures include that the inquiry must be prompt, independent, thorough and subject to public scrutiny. It should also be as public as possible with publication made of the findings and with the involvement of NGOs and those affected.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/law/2010/sep/14/uk-torture-inquiry-victims-ngos
The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Extraordinary Rendition also wrote to Sir Peter Gibson in early October setting out the measures they believe need to be taken in the inquiry http://www.extraordinaryrendition.org The MPs also called for the role played by ministers, senior civil services and the intelligence officers to be taken into account.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/law/2010/oct/03/mps-torture-inquiry-demands-judge
Although the Prime Minister, who announced the inquiry in July, wishes to see it start its work this year and conclude next year, this is unlikely to happen with various ongoing court cases against the Foreign Office and intelligence services for their involvement in torture abroad.
At its annual party conference on 19 September, the Liberal Democrats passed a unanimous motion on the torture inquiry:
http://www.libdems.org.uk/policy_motions_detail.aspx?title=Human_Rights_and_the_%E2%80%98War_on_Terror%E2%80%99_-_carried&pPK=27c7bfe1-2904-4922-bc58-61f3f2537f35 It called for as much publication and as much evidence in the inquiry as possible to be made public. It also called for accountability.
Former Labour leadership contender and older brother of the current Labour leader, David Miliband, was consulted by MI6 during the three years that he was Foreign Secretary before proceeding with intelligence-gathering operations in foreign countries. This included gathering information from prisoners held in countries that torture. Although he blocked some operations, others were authorised. During his time as Foreign Secretary, several British nationals were tortured in foreign jails with the knowledge of the British government. These countries include Bangladesh and Egypt.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/law/2010/sep/21/mi6-consulted-david-miliband-interrogations
In July, when the Prime Minister announced the torture inquiry, he also published new guidelines for intelligence officers when interrogating suspects abroad. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is threatening to take legal action against the government if it does not take immediate steps to remedy loopholes in this guidance which could breach human rights law. The EHRC does not consider the guidelines to go far enough to prevent involvement in torture, for which agents could still be prosecuted in this country. The government was given until 30 September to respond to a letter from the EHRC or otherwise legal action would be taken.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11414770
LGC Activities:
The September monthly Shut Down Guantánamo! on Friday 3 September was attended by several people as was the October demonstration on Friday 1 October. The next demonstration will be on Friday 5 November at 6-7pm outside the US Embassy, Grosvenor Square, W1A 1AE.
The LGC is starting to plan its action for the ninth anniversary of the opening of Guantánamo Bay on 11 January 2011. Please get in touch with us if you would like to get involved and help out.
The LGC also urges concerned individuals to continue writing to their MPs and the Foreign Office about Ahmed Belbacha, and urging the UK to accept him. Given recent, positive measures by other states to accept prisoners and the urgency of Ahmed Belbacha's plight, please continue writing and demanding that the government takes action. Mr. Belbacha's immigration status over nine years ago is completely irrelevant to where he is now. The British government must act on humanitarian grounds. Please let us know if you get a response. Thank you.
London Guantánamo Campaign
NEWS:
British Residents:
In the ongoing court case brought by six former British prisoners, residents and nationals, to force the government to reveal what it knew of their torture, abuse and arbitrary detention, more documents have come to light showing that former Prime Minister Tony Blair knew of the torture faced by British prisoners at Guantánamo Bay within weeks of the facility opening in 2002. A letter dated 18 January 2002 contained handwritten comments that were allegedly made by Tony Blair on the treatment of prisoners:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/law/interactive/2010/sep/28/foreign-office-memo-britons-guantanamo . The government was also made aware that prisoners had been tortured in Afghanistan. Several of the documents made public were heavily redacted: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/sep/28/torture-warnings-britain-us-ignored
Guantánamo Bay:
On 29 September, the jury was sworn in the case of Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani, 36, a Tanzanian who is the first prisoner due to stand trial in a civilian court in New York as opposed to before a military tribunal. Charged with involvement in the 1998 bombing of US Embassies in east Africa, he is accused of purchasing the explosives used in those attacks. He was arrested in Pakistan in 2004 and was held at secret CIA "black sites" for two years, during which time American officials have admitted that he was subject to "enhanced interrogation techniques”. He was transferred to Guantánamo Bay in 2006 and then to the US mainland in June 2009 to stand trial before a Federal court. In May this year, his lawyers lost a case to have all charges against him dropped as he had been tortured at Guantánamo Bay and the 57 months that he was held there denied him the right to have a trial within a reasonable amount of time. However a Manhattan judge ruled that the national security interest in the case was overriding and it could go ahead. Ghailani, who has denied all charges, was due to start his hearing on Monday 4 October, however this has been set back to Wednesday 6 October. The trial has been set back as approval is pending for a key prosecution witness. The trial is likely to last several months and could set an important precedent for the civilian trial of other prisoners facing charges. Several other men prosecuted for the same crime in 2001 are currently serving life sentences.
In mid-September, Germany accepted two prisoners to settle in the country. This is in addition to the efforts it made to have its one resident repatriated several years ago. One of the men, now settled in Hamburg, is Ayman Al-Shurafa, a Saudi-born Palestinian prisoner, who was free to leave for several years but could not return to the Palestinian Territories. Another prisoner has been settled in another area. Both have been offered homes and medical care. Germany’s interior minister said that Germany has "made its humanitarian contribution to closing the detention centre”. Luxembourg, which had also expressed an interest in accepting a prisoner and had entered negotiations with the US government to accept a Yemeni prisoner backed down after the US rejected the release of the prisoner as he had expressed his intention to return to his own country. The US is refusing to repatriate Yemeni prisoners, who make up the single largest nationality of prisoners held at Guantánamo Bay. The Maldive Islands are also close to requesting the settlement of the last Palestinian prisoner, who also cannot return home, to settle there.
On 29 September, a federal judge in Washington dismissed a case brought by the family of two men who died in mysterious circumstances at Guantánamo Bay in June 2006. The families of Saudi prisoner Yasser Al-Zahrani and Yemeni Salah Al-Salami asked for the case into their deaths to be re-examined following new evidence that emerged this year. The Pentagon claims that the two men and a second Saudi prisoner committed suicide, however statements from soldiers on duty that night claim that the men were taken to another camp and later returned to their cells, shortly after which it was reported that they had committed suicide. The judge said that the allegations themselves were not enough to constitute evidence and that matters relating to conditions of detention at Guantánamo Bay were for Congress to resolve, due to national security concerns, as stated in another court ruling.
Journalist Andy Worthington is currently updating the information he has on the 176 remaining prisoner at Guantánamo Bay in eight instalments. The introduction and lead into the other parts can be read here:
http://www.andyworthington.co.uk/2010/09/15/introducing-the-definitive-list-of-the-remaining-prisoners-in-guantanamo/ The articles update their legal status, new information about them as well as recent information about conditions at Guantánamo Bay and the lack of legal process there or any questioning about it.
Extraordinary rendition:
On 9 September, the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled narrowly (6-5) to prevent victims of extraordinary rendition, including British resident Binyam Mohamed from suing Jeppesen Dataplan, a division of Boeing, for its involvement in "torture" flights, organising and transporting them to and from “black sites” for the CIA. Last year, five victims of extraordinary rendition in a case brought by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) were given leave to bring their case, however the Obama administration, following firmly in the footsteps of its predecessor, invoked the "state secrets doctrine", claiming that it was not in the interest of national security to have the case heard in public. The judges “reluctantly” accepted the government’s arguments to keep all the information secret due to national security concerns, however conceding that the CIA had acted wrongly, whether or not that information could be produced openly in court, it ordered the government to pay reparations to the plaintiffs, even though they had lost the case. The ACLU will now appeal the case to the US Supreme Court.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/sep/09/us-court-binyam-mohamed-torture
On 12 September, a group of 9 UK human rights NGOs wrote to the chair of the torture inquiry, Sir Peter Gibson, setting out the areas they believe the inquiry should cover in order to be thorough and effective. The letter can be read at: http://reprieve.org.uk/2010_09_12_letter_from_ngos_re_inquiry These measures include that the inquiry must be prompt, independent, thorough and subject to public scrutiny. It should also be as public as possible with publication made of the findings and with the involvement of NGOs and those affected.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/law/2010/sep/14/uk-torture-inquiry-victims-ngos
The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Extraordinary Rendition also wrote to Sir Peter Gibson in early October setting out the measures they believe need to be taken in the inquiry http://www.extraordinaryrendition.org The MPs also called for the role played by ministers, senior civil services and the intelligence officers to be taken into account.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/law/2010/oct/03/mps-torture-inquiry-demands-judge
Although the Prime Minister, who announced the inquiry in July, wishes to see it start its work this year and conclude next year, this is unlikely to happen with various ongoing court cases against the Foreign Office and intelligence services for their involvement in torture abroad.
At its annual party conference on 19 September, the Liberal Democrats passed a unanimous motion on the torture inquiry:
http://www.libdems.org.uk/policy_motions_detail.aspx?title=Human_Rights_and_the_%E2%80%98War_on_Terror%E2%80%99_-_carried&pPK=27c7bfe1-2904-4922-bc58-61f3f2537f35 It called for as much publication and as much evidence in the inquiry as possible to be made public. It also called for accountability.
Former Labour leadership contender and older brother of the current Labour leader, David Miliband, was consulted by MI6 during the three years that he was Foreign Secretary before proceeding with intelligence-gathering operations in foreign countries. This included gathering information from prisoners held in countries that torture. Although he blocked some operations, others were authorised. During his time as Foreign Secretary, several British nationals were tortured in foreign jails with the knowledge of the British government. These countries include Bangladesh and Egypt.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/law/2010/sep/21/mi6-consulted-david-miliband-interrogations
In July, when the Prime Minister announced the torture inquiry, he also published new guidelines for intelligence officers when interrogating suspects abroad. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is threatening to take legal action against the government if it does not take immediate steps to remedy loopholes in this guidance which could breach human rights law. The EHRC does not consider the guidelines to go far enough to prevent involvement in torture, for which agents could still be prosecuted in this country. The government was given until 30 September to respond to a letter from the EHRC or otherwise legal action would be taken.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11414770
LGC Activities:
The September monthly Shut Down Guantánamo! on Friday 3 September was attended by several people as was the October demonstration on Friday 1 October. The next demonstration will be on Friday 5 November at 6-7pm outside the US Embassy, Grosvenor Square, W1A 1AE.
The LGC is starting to plan its action for the ninth anniversary of the opening of Guantánamo Bay on 11 January 2011. Please get in touch with us if you would like to get involved and help out.
The LGC also urges concerned individuals to continue writing to their MPs and the Foreign Office about Ahmed Belbacha, and urging the UK to accept him. Given recent, positive measures by other states to accept prisoners and the urgency of Ahmed Belbacha's plight, please continue writing and demanding that the government takes action. Mr. Belbacha's immigration status over nine years ago is completely irrelevant to where he is now. The British government must act on humanitarian grounds. Please let us know if you get a response. Thank you.
London Guantánamo Campaign
Monday, September 20, 2010
Latest Campaigns - Ahmed Belbacha/ Extraordinary Rendition
- Ahmed Belbacha
In July, we launched a letter-writing campaign asking the public to write to their MPs and the Foreign Office demanding that the UK allows Ahmed Belbacha to settle in the UK. He faces the imminent threat of forced repatriation to Algeria where his life is at risk. Although a letter was initially sent by the LGC to the Foreign Secretary in June, there has to date been no response to any letters sent. It is unfortunate that the Foreign Office does not understand the concept of "urgency". The government continues to drag its heels over Guantánamo Bay. Britain has not "done enough" to help the Americans close the prison and with Germany accepting another prisoner just last week, we urge you to continue writing to your MPs and the Foreign Secretary. if you have not heard from your MP, write to them to ask why and if they have forwarded your concerns. It has been almost 10 years since Ahmed Belbacha left the UK; the previous government's argument that his immigration status was illegal is thus wholly irrelevant and Britain should accept Mr. Belbacha on humanitarian grounds. Please continue to use the points raised in our action letter as a guide when writing to your MP/the Foreign Office: http://londonguantnamocampaign.blogspot.com/2010/07/lgc-urgent-action-ahmed-belbacha-at.html
- Extraordinary Rendition
At the Liberal Democrat party conference yesterday in Liverpool, a motion was passed unanimously concerning the forthcoming torture inquiry: http://www.libdems.org.uk/policy_motions_detail.aspx?title=Human_Rights_and_the_%E2%80%98War_on_Terror%E2%80%99_-_carried&pPK=27c7bfe1-2904-4922-bc58-61f3f2537f35 While in part an attack on the former Labour government, the motion calls for the terms of the inquiry, as proposed by the current government, to be clarified and for "all evidence and questioning to be public and calls on the Prime Minister to commit to publish all the inquiry’s conclusions, except where such publicity or publication would genuinely compromise operational effectiveness" (6). The motion also calls for accountability which has previously been lacking in any talk about the inquiry since June. The passing of this motion is a positive step, however we ask supporters who live in constituencies with Liberal Democrat MPs to write to them (www.theyworkforyou.com) to ask them how their party, a part of the current coalition government, intends to have their motion upheld and supported by the government, to ensure these clarifications are made and that there is wider transparency and accountability in this process. While many relevant issues of concern to the public are raised in the motion, it fails to mention the fact that the inquiry, as set out by the Prime Minister, intends to look into "mistreatment by the security services" and not enforced "disappearance", rendition and torture. Mistreatment has no legal value and has yet to be defined or "clarified". Please write to your Liberal Democrat MP, if applicable, to raise your concerns.
In July, we launched a letter-writing campaign asking the public to write to their MPs and the Foreign Office demanding that the UK allows Ahmed Belbacha to settle in the UK. He faces the imminent threat of forced repatriation to Algeria where his life is at risk. Although a letter was initially sent by the LGC to the Foreign Secretary in June, there has to date been no response to any letters sent. It is unfortunate that the Foreign Office does not understand the concept of "urgency". The government continues to drag its heels over Guantánamo Bay. Britain has not "done enough" to help the Americans close the prison and with Germany accepting another prisoner just last week, we urge you to continue writing to your MPs and the Foreign Secretary. if you have not heard from your MP, write to them to ask why and if they have forwarded your concerns. It has been almost 10 years since Ahmed Belbacha left the UK; the previous government's argument that his immigration status was illegal is thus wholly irrelevant and Britain should accept Mr. Belbacha on humanitarian grounds. Please continue to use the points raised in our action letter as a guide when writing to your MP/the Foreign Office: http://londonguantnamocampaign.blogspot.com/2010/07/lgc-urgent-action-ahmed-belbacha-at.html
- Extraordinary Rendition
At the Liberal Democrat party conference yesterday in Liverpool, a motion was passed unanimously concerning the forthcoming torture inquiry: http://www.libdems.org.uk/policy_motions_detail.aspx?title=Human_Rights_and_the_%E2%80%98War_on_Terror%E2%80%99_-_carried&pPK=27c7bfe1-2904-4922-bc58-61f3f2537f35 While in part an attack on the former Labour government, the motion calls for the terms of the inquiry, as proposed by the current government, to be clarified and for "all evidence and questioning to be public and calls on the Prime Minister to commit to publish all the inquiry’s conclusions, except where such publicity or publication would genuinely compromise operational effectiveness" (6). The motion also calls for accountability which has previously been lacking in any talk about the inquiry since June. The passing of this motion is a positive step, however we ask supporters who live in constituencies with Liberal Democrat MPs to write to them (www.theyworkforyou.com) to ask them how their party, a part of the current coalition government, intends to have their motion upheld and supported by the government, to ensure these clarifications are made and that there is wider transparency and accountability in this process. While many relevant issues of concern to the public are raised in the motion, it fails to mention the fact that the inquiry, as set out by the Prime Minister, intends to look into "mistreatment by the security services" and not enforced "disappearance", rendition and torture. Mistreatment has no legal value and has yet to be defined or "clarified". Please write to your Liberal Democrat MP, if applicable, to raise your concerns.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
LGC Newsletter - August 2010
Guantánamo Bay:
Omar Khadr’s military tribunal started on 11 August at Guantánamo Bay. On Monday 9 August, at a pre-trial hearing, legal precedents were already being set with the judge deciding that evidence obtained through torture was admissible in his case. The case was thus biased against Mr. Khadr before it even started as the “evidence”, his confessions to the charges against him, was obtained under duress and after threats of rape and death: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/khadrs-confessions-admissible-military-judge-rules/article1666620/ The following day, as the jury in the trial was sworn in, one juror, a serving lieutenant colonel in the US army, who had said that he agreed with President Obama that Guantánamo should be closed down, was removed from the jury, for lacking impartiality. The impartiality of the actual jury is questionable as those serving on it had volunteered to do so, further tipping the balance against Mr. Khadr:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/guantanamo-critic-removed-from-jury-2051286.html
Omar Khadr attended his trial on Tuesday and Wednesday. On Wednesday, there were opening statements from the prosecution and defence. Evidence, including video evidence, was presented to the courtroom and in the afternoon, while cross-examining a prosecution witness, Lt. Col. Jon Jackson, Khadr’s defence lawyer, collapsed in the courtroom and the trial has now been adjourned for at least one month. Jackson was hospitalised and has since been transferred to the mainland US. It is uncertain when the trial will start again. The trial was observed by the international media, including Al-Jazeera, Canada’s The Globe and Mail newspaper, the Independent and Alex Neve, secretary general of Amnesty International Canada, covered each day of the hearing and posted his blogs at: http://www.amnesty.ca/blog_post2.php?id=1921 Amnesty International is calling on the US and Canadian governments to call an end to the trial before it resumes. On 27 August, the New York Times reported that senior officials in the Obama administration are unhappy with the first case being heard under the new military commissions regime being that of Omar Khadr, claiming that it “is undermining their broader effort to showcase reforms that they say have made military commissions fair and just” http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/28/us/28gitmo.html The article also claims that they felt it would have been more satisfactory to reach a plea bargain in the case. A plea bargain was put to Mr. Khadr in July, in which he would be given a set prison sentence in return to confessing to killing a US soldier in 2002, which he rejected. At no time has the US actually taken measures to halt the commission, which without even surviving its first full day, has already set worrying precedents for trials involving minors and the level of evidence required in such trials.
On 12 August, in a separate trial, 51-year old Sudanese prisoner, Ibrahim Al-Qosi, became the first prisoner to be sentenced since Barack Obama became president. Mr. Al-Qosi pleaded guilty to conspiracy and providing material support to terrorism by doing his job as a cook and driver to Osama Bin Laden and his associates. He was sentenced to 14 years’ imprisonment, however a secret plea deal was reached in his case, and he is likely to serve fewer years. He entered a guilty plea, under the plea bargain, in July, avoiding the need for trial. Mr. Al-Qosi has been held at Guantánamo Bay for more than eight and a half years and was one of the first people to be charged. Human Rights Watch, observing the proceedings, condemned the secretive nature of the proceedings and the plea bargain as a “farce”. More on this news:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/bin-ladens-former-cook-given-14year-sentence-2051287.html
On 19 August, the Independent reported that the closure of Guantánamo Bay is unlikely in President Obama’s first term as president. Admiral Jeffrey Harbeson, who took over running of the prison in June, gave an interview to the newspaper and reported that he has not received any direct orders to start transferring prisoners so that the prison can close:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/exclusive-obamas-pledge-to-close-down-guantanamo-is-not-even-close-2056370.html
The transfer of prisoners is problematic, with many in the US opposed to their transfer to the mainland and opposition from political parties and senators. The risk of prisoners being transferred to other similar sites elsewhere, such as Bagram in Afghanistan, still poses a major concern. The US has not expressed how it will deal with this issue. Around 180 prisoners still remain.
Extraordinary rendition:
In an interview in the Independent on Sunday on 29 August, Labour leadership candidate and former Foreign Secretary David Miliband continued to peddle the myth that his ministry was unaware that it was complicit in involvement in extraordinary rendition and the abuse of British nationals and residents at Guantánamo Bay when it cooperated closely with the US following 9/11. Mr. Miliband admitted that abuses had occurred and British intelligence had been slow to act but did not admit to the knowing complicity of agents and ministry staff. Documents made public through the Binyam Mohamed case and statements by former prisoners show that there was awareness among senior ranks of the civil service and among agents of the very nature of the torture and abuse meted out and exactly what was happening to British prisoners held by the US. For more on this news:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/exclusive-david-miliband-britain-was-slow-to-act-against-us-torture-2064949.html
LGC Activities:
The September monthly Shut Down Guantánamo! will be on Friday 3 September at 6-7pm outside the US Embassy, Grosvenor Square, Mayfair. On Friday 6 August, the LGC held an extended two hour demonstration outside the US Embassy in protest at Omar Khadr’s military tribunal. Ten people attended the demonstration. A petition calling for justice for Omar Khadr was later sent to the US ambassador to London and was signed by over 100 people. For a report and pictures of the demonstration, please see:
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2010/08/456827.html
In August, the LGC launched a letter writing campaign asking people to write to some of the former prisoners who are currently settling down into new lives in Europe. Details were provided for three prisoners who are currently being helped by Reprieve to settle in Slovakia. Conditions after their release have not been easy. The LGC asks people continue writing to these men – a short card/letter – to help boost their morale and help them settle into their new life. For more details on the campaign: http://londonguantnamocampaign.blogspot.com/2010/08/write-to-released-guantanamo-prisoners.html
London Guantánamo Campaign
Omar Khadr’s military tribunal started on 11 August at Guantánamo Bay. On Monday 9 August, at a pre-trial hearing, legal precedents were already being set with the judge deciding that evidence obtained through torture was admissible in his case. The case was thus biased against Mr. Khadr before it even started as the “evidence”, his confessions to the charges against him, was obtained under duress and after threats of rape and death: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/khadrs-confessions-admissible-military-judge-rules/article1666620/ The following day, as the jury in the trial was sworn in, one juror, a serving lieutenant colonel in the US army, who had said that he agreed with President Obama that Guantánamo should be closed down, was removed from the jury, for lacking impartiality. The impartiality of the actual jury is questionable as those serving on it had volunteered to do so, further tipping the balance against Mr. Khadr:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/guantanamo-critic-removed-from-jury-2051286.html
Omar Khadr attended his trial on Tuesday and Wednesday. On Wednesday, there were opening statements from the prosecution and defence. Evidence, including video evidence, was presented to the courtroom and in the afternoon, while cross-examining a prosecution witness, Lt. Col. Jon Jackson, Khadr’s defence lawyer, collapsed in the courtroom and the trial has now been adjourned for at least one month. Jackson was hospitalised and has since been transferred to the mainland US. It is uncertain when the trial will start again. The trial was observed by the international media, including Al-Jazeera, Canada’s The Globe and Mail newspaper, the Independent and Alex Neve, secretary general of Amnesty International Canada, covered each day of the hearing and posted his blogs at: http://www.amnesty.ca/blog_post2.php?id=1921 Amnesty International is calling on the US and Canadian governments to call an end to the trial before it resumes. On 27 August, the New York Times reported that senior officials in the Obama administration are unhappy with the first case being heard under the new military commissions regime being that of Omar Khadr, claiming that it “is undermining their broader effort to showcase reforms that they say have made military commissions fair and just” http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/28/us/28gitmo.html The article also claims that they felt it would have been more satisfactory to reach a plea bargain in the case. A plea bargain was put to Mr. Khadr in July, in which he would be given a set prison sentence in return to confessing to killing a US soldier in 2002, which he rejected. At no time has the US actually taken measures to halt the commission, which without even surviving its first full day, has already set worrying precedents for trials involving minors and the level of evidence required in such trials.
On 12 August, in a separate trial, 51-year old Sudanese prisoner, Ibrahim Al-Qosi, became the first prisoner to be sentenced since Barack Obama became president. Mr. Al-Qosi pleaded guilty to conspiracy and providing material support to terrorism by doing his job as a cook and driver to Osama Bin Laden and his associates. He was sentenced to 14 years’ imprisonment, however a secret plea deal was reached in his case, and he is likely to serve fewer years. He entered a guilty plea, under the plea bargain, in July, avoiding the need for trial. Mr. Al-Qosi has been held at Guantánamo Bay for more than eight and a half years and was one of the first people to be charged. Human Rights Watch, observing the proceedings, condemned the secretive nature of the proceedings and the plea bargain as a “farce”. More on this news:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/bin-ladens-former-cook-given-14year-sentence-2051287.html
On 19 August, the Independent reported that the closure of Guantánamo Bay is unlikely in President Obama’s first term as president. Admiral Jeffrey Harbeson, who took over running of the prison in June, gave an interview to the newspaper and reported that he has not received any direct orders to start transferring prisoners so that the prison can close:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/exclusive-obamas-pledge-to-close-down-guantanamo-is-not-even-close-2056370.html
The transfer of prisoners is problematic, with many in the US opposed to their transfer to the mainland and opposition from political parties and senators. The risk of prisoners being transferred to other similar sites elsewhere, such as Bagram in Afghanistan, still poses a major concern. The US has not expressed how it will deal with this issue. Around 180 prisoners still remain.
Extraordinary rendition:
In an interview in the Independent on Sunday on 29 August, Labour leadership candidate and former Foreign Secretary David Miliband continued to peddle the myth that his ministry was unaware that it was complicit in involvement in extraordinary rendition and the abuse of British nationals and residents at Guantánamo Bay when it cooperated closely with the US following 9/11. Mr. Miliband admitted that abuses had occurred and British intelligence had been slow to act but did not admit to the knowing complicity of agents and ministry staff. Documents made public through the Binyam Mohamed case and statements by former prisoners show that there was awareness among senior ranks of the civil service and among agents of the very nature of the torture and abuse meted out and exactly what was happening to British prisoners held by the US. For more on this news:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/exclusive-david-miliband-britain-was-slow-to-act-against-us-torture-2064949.html
LGC Activities:
The September monthly Shut Down Guantánamo! will be on Friday 3 September at 6-7pm outside the US Embassy, Grosvenor Square, Mayfair. On Friday 6 August, the LGC held an extended two hour demonstration outside the US Embassy in protest at Omar Khadr’s military tribunal. Ten people attended the demonstration. A petition calling for justice for Omar Khadr was later sent to the US ambassador to London and was signed by over 100 people. For a report and pictures of the demonstration, please see:
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2010/08/456827.html
In August, the LGC launched a letter writing campaign asking people to write to some of the former prisoners who are currently settling down into new lives in Europe. Details were provided for three prisoners who are currently being helped by Reprieve to settle in Slovakia. Conditions after their release have not been easy. The LGC asks people continue writing to these men – a short card/letter – to help boost their morale and help them settle into their new life. For more details on the campaign: http://londonguantnamocampaign.blogspot.com/2010/08/write-to-released-guantanamo-prisoners.html
London Guantánamo Campaign
Monday, August 23, 2010
Write to released Guantánamo Prisoners in Europe in Ramadan
Former prisoners speak. Ramadan was more spiritual in Guantanamo. It was our time to be with our brothers - especially the more educated ones. They would talk in low voices from cage to cage. All brothers gave each other Salam. Being in prison we studied the Koran well and many learnt Arabic. Through all our suffering we were being tested by Allah. So we became strong. Physically, too: doing press-ups and star-jumps. Who'd have guessed it? Guantanamo became our school. A madrassa. The place which made us grow up, become closer to Habib; where, in the single voice calling for prayer every day as the sun was rising, we created beauty out of ugliness. And in that we gained victory over the disbelievers who stood guard on us.”
Based on statements by Moazzam Begg, Bisher Al-Rawi and the Tipton Three, and compiled by David Harrold.
Former prisoners in need of support. As part of his pledge in January 2009 to close Guantánamo Bay, Barack Obama’s government has been making arrangements to resettle prisoners in third countries when they cannot be safely returned to their country of origin. Many European countries including Ireland, Hungary, Belgium, France, Italy, Slovakia and Albania have agreed to settle ex-prisoners. However, life after Guantánamo can prove to be extremely challenging and difficult. Many men find themselves alone, attempting to rebuild their lives in countries where they are isolated and cannot speak the language, where they have difficulties making friends and accessing services.
In some cases their new living conditions are as bad as those they encountered in Guantánamo Bay. In January, three men were released to Slovakia. Upon entry into the country, they were interned at an asylum detention centre where they were only allowed to leave their room, consisting of a bed and a sink, for one hour a day. They were not permitted to speak to anyone other than their lawyer or staff at the centre. In June, in protest at their living conditions, the men went on hunger strike. The ensuing publicity finally resulted in them being released last month.
Over a dozen prisoners have been released in the last year. The Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which started on 11 August, can be a particularly lonely time for men who, while at Guantánamo Bay, at least had the companionship of fellow prisoners. Ramadan is a time for togetherness and social activity, as well as for abstinence. This is the first time in over 8 years that they will experience Ramadan alone.
Please consider writing to these ex-prisoners. A letter or card congratulating them on their release, wishing them well in their new life, asking them how they are, a short note, would all be greatly appreciated.
The three men released in Slovakia are:
Adel Al Gazzar, a 40-year Egyptian accountant who speaks fluent English, he has a wife and 3 children in Egypt whom he has not seen for over 9 years. He was captured while working for the Red Crescent in Afghanistan and was one of the first men to be cleared for release.
Rafiq Bin Al Hami, a 41-year old Tunisian who speaks English and Arabic, and who had previously worked in several European countries.
Polad Sirajov, a 35-year old economist from Azerbaijan who likes football., and who speaks English, Arabic and Russian.
You can send cards and letters:
FAO Chloe Davies
Reprieve
PO Box 52742,
London, EC4P 4WS
You can also write to other former prisoners whom Reprieve is working with. Details can be found on their website: www.reprieve.org.uk
Cageprisoners is also in touch with various former prisoners. Contact them for details: contact@cageprisoners.com
Two Tunisians who were transferred from Guantánamo Bay to Italy at the end of last year, are of particular concern. Although cleared for release by the US, the Italians sought their transfer in order to put them on trial on terrorism charges. Their trial is scheduled to take place next month. They are currently being held in prison at Macomer in Sardinia, under notoriously harsh and discriminatory conditions. Please write to them if you can:
Adil Bin Mabrouk and Riyad Bin Nasseri:
Casa Circondriale Macomer Nuoro
Zona Industriale Bonu Trau
08015 Nuoro
Italy
Details of the stories of all these prisoners and others can be found on Andy Worthington’s website: www.andyworthington.co.uk
London Guantánamo Campaign
Based on statements by Moazzam Begg, Bisher Al-Rawi and the Tipton Three, and compiled by David Harrold.
Former prisoners in need of support. As part of his pledge in January 2009 to close Guantánamo Bay, Barack Obama’s government has been making arrangements to resettle prisoners in third countries when they cannot be safely returned to their country of origin. Many European countries including Ireland, Hungary, Belgium, France, Italy, Slovakia and Albania have agreed to settle ex-prisoners. However, life after Guantánamo can prove to be extremely challenging and difficult. Many men find themselves alone, attempting to rebuild their lives in countries where they are isolated and cannot speak the language, where they have difficulties making friends and accessing services.
In some cases their new living conditions are as bad as those they encountered in Guantánamo Bay. In January, three men were released to Slovakia. Upon entry into the country, they were interned at an asylum detention centre where they were only allowed to leave their room, consisting of a bed and a sink, for one hour a day. They were not permitted to speak to anyone other than their lawyer or staff at the centre. In June, in protest at their living conditions, the men went on hunger strike. The ensuing publicity finally resulted in them being released last month.
Over a dozen prisoners have been released in the last year. The Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which started on 11 August, can be a particularly lonely time for men who, while at Guantánamo Bay, at least had the companionship of fellow prisoners. Ramadan is a time for togetherness and social activity, as well as for abstinence. This is the first time in over 8 years that they will experience Ramadan alone.
Please consider writing to these ex-prisoners. A letter or card congratulating them on their release, wishing them well in their new life, asking them how they are, a short note, would all be greatly appreciated.
The three men released in Slovakia are:
Adel Al Gazzar, a 40-year Egyptian accountant who speaks fluent English, he has a wife and 3 children in Egypt whom he has not seen for over 9 years. He was captured while working for the Red Crescent in Afghanistan and was one of the first men to be cleared for release.
Rafiq Bin Al Hami, a 41-year old Tunisian who speaks English and Arabic, and who had previously worked in several European countries.
Polad Sirajov, a 35-year old economist from Azerbaijan who likes football., and who speaks English, Arabic and Russian.
You can send cards and letters:
FAO Chloe Davies
Reprieve
PO Box 52742,
London, EC4P 4WS
You can also write to other former prisoners whom Reprieve is working with. Details can be found on their website: www.reprieve.org.uk
Cageprisoners is also in touch with various former prisoners. Contact them for details: contact@cageprisoners.com
Two Tunisians who were transferred from Guantánamo Bay to Italy at the end of last year, are of particular concern. Although cleared for release by the US, the Italians sought their transfer in order to put them on trial on terrorism charges. Their trial is scheduled to take place next month. They are currently being held in prison at Macomer in Sardinia, under notoriously harsh and discriminatory conditions. Please write to them if you can:
Adil Bin Mabrouk and Riyad Bin Nasseri:
Casa Circondriale Macomer Nuoro
Zona Industriale Bonu Trau
08015 Nuoro
Italy
Details of the stories of all these prisoners and others can be found on Andy Worthington’s website: www.andyworthington.co.uk
London Guantánamo Campaign
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Guantánamo Bay: Military Tribunal for Child Soldier Starts Today
The first military trial since Nuremberg for alleged offences committed as a minor starts today at Guantánamo Bay and is expected to continue until 27 August at least. Although dozens of teenagers have been held at Guantánamo Bay and several have been charged, Omar Khadr, a 23-year old Canadian today becomes the first person to be tried at Guantánamo Bay under its flawed military commissions regime since Obama took power and the first person to be tried for war crimes allegedly committed as a minor since World War II.
Omar Khadr has never been treated as a child prisoner in over eight years at Guantánamo Bay. Beaten, abused, threatened with rape and death to coerce confessions, he has been denied his right to an education, adequate medical and legal representation and care and his constitutional rights as a Canadian through his government’s consistent refusal to help him through repatriation. Today he is being denied his right to a fair “trial”. Omar Khadr is under no illusion as to the illegal and unfair process he is being subjected to as the world watches with little concern.
In Germany, meanwhile, an 88-year old former Nazi prison guard about to stand trial for involvement in the deaths of over 400,000 Jews at Belzec will do so before a juvenile court as the alleged crimes were committed when he was 20 and was thus a minor at the time. International law considers child soldiers to be victims and not criminals. There are estimated to be over half a million children (under 18) involved in armed conflicts around the world and the precedent being set by the United States today in trying Omar Khadr could prove to be dangerous and prejudicial to others in a similar, precarious situation. Omar Khadr’s trial has been condemned by the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Children in Armed Conflict and the head of UNICEF.
After eight years of arbitrary detention, abuse, torture, threats and gross violations of his human rights, Omar Khadr faces the prospect of life imprisonment, a sentence prohibited under international law for crimes committed by minors. Last month he rejected a plea bargain by prosecutors who offered him a five-year sentence if he admitted to killing American soldiers in Afghanistan in 2002.
Omar Khadr is a victim of the war in Afghanistan, the “war on terror”, the misguided foreign policies of the US and Canada and the complacency of the international community, yet today he stands trial as an adult based on evidence coerced through torture and which even leaked Pentagon documents have admitted is tenuous at the very best.
The London Guantánamo Campaign, which holds a monthly demonstration outside the US Embassy in Mayfair calling for the closure of Guantánamo Bay, Bagram and other torture and arbitrary detention facilities around the world, held an extended two-hour demonstration on Friday 6 August outside the US Embassy. Ten people attended the demonstration. Although the US Embassy was the venue, the London Guantánamo Campaign also calls on the Canadian government to repatriate Mr. Khadr immediately which would have been the logical and most appropriate way of dealing with its human rights abuses and those of its southern neighbours in the USA.
The London Guantánamo Campaign has also set up the following petition which will be sent to the American ambassador in London Louis Susman at the end of this week: http://www.gopetition.com/petition/38137.html
Amnesty Canada’s Secretary General Alex Neve will be attending and blogging from the trial everyday. Updates can be read at: http://www.amnesty.ca/blog_post2.php?id=1900
Amnesty USA is likely to do likewise next week.
Photographs: Copyright: RK Wolff
Friday, July 30, 2010
A "Dangerous International Precedent": Demonstrate against the trial of Omar Khadr
SETTING “A DANGEROUS INTERNATIONAL PRECEDENT” : US SET TO GO AHEAD WITH THE FIRST WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL FOR A CHILD COMBATANT SINCE WORLD WAR II
The London Guantánamo Campaign’s monthly demonstration outside the US Embassy in Mayfair will be extended on Friday, 6 August to a two-hour action from 5-7pm to mark the first military tribunal at Guantánamo Bay since President Obama took power and the first time since World War II that a child soldier is being tried for war crimes.Accused of throwing a grenade at US soldiers in Afghanistan in July 2002, killing one soldier and other war crimes, 23-year old Canadian national Omar Khadr is to become the person since Nuremberg to be put on trial for offences alleged committed as a minor. Held at Guantánamo Bay since October 2002, he has been tortured and abused: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQHFFbD_-Pg
At a pre-trial hearing in April, a US interrogator admitted to threatening him with gang rape and murder if he refused to confess. Mr. Khadr has tried to boycott the commission he has described as a “sham” and to fire his legal team. It is unlikely that he will get a fair trial and any “evidence” against him is tenuous at best.
His military commission has been condemned by the United Nations Special Representative for Children in Armed Conflicts, the head of UNICEF, international NGOs and others. Although international law does not expressly prohibit the prosecution of child soldiers, it limits it considerably and does not allow for a life sentence, which Omar Khadr faces. International law views child soldiers as victims and not criminals. With over 300,000 child soldiers estimated in various conflicts worldwide, the precedent that could be set by trial is truly dangerous and could have harmful consequences for the safety of millions of children caught up in armed conflicts.
A letter he recently wrote to his Canadian lawyer Dennis Edney was published in the Washington: http://voices.washingtonpost.com/checkpoint-washington/2010/07/a_letter_from_omar_khadr_guant.html
Please join us on FRIDAY 6 AUGUST 2010 AT 5-7PM outside the US EMBASSY, GROSVENOR SQUARE, LONDON W1A 1AE (nearest tube: Bond Street/Marble)
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