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Wednesday, December 20, 2006

Guantanamo Anniversary - Background Information Pack

January 11th marks five years of torture

In advance of the 5th anniversary of the first transfers to the US detention centre at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba – to be marked on 11 January -- Amnesty International (AI) is releasing an information pack with key data and analysis regarding the state of human rights at the US detention centre.

The Pack Contains:

- List of AI's country and legal experts available for comment and interviews.
- Key Facts and Figures on Guantánamo.
- Timeline of key events related to Guantánamo since January 2001.
- Guantánamo detainees - Summaries of cases of individuals currently in Guantánamo.
- Fate of former detainees -- Summaries of cases of individuals released from Guantánamo.
- AI’s concerns related to Torture and other Ill-treatment at Guantánamo.
- Illegality of military commissions in Guantánamo in comparison to international fair trial standards.
- AI’s action plan to close Guantánamo.
- Tip of the iceberg – Guantánamo as one example of human rights violations committed by the - US government in the context of the “war on terror”.
- Photos and video interviews with relatives of people currently detained in Guantánamo and with former detainees.
- Photos and video of AI’s public actions across the world to close Guantánamo.
- AI’s factual reports and analysis pieces related to Guantánamo published since 2001.

To access Amnesty International’s media pack on Guantánamo, please log on to: http://web.amnesty.org/pages/usa-151206-media-eng

If you are interested in receiving a copy of the media pack by email or by post or if you would like to arrange an interview with one of Amnesty international’s experts on the issue, please contact: Josefina Salomon, Americas Press Officer, Phone: +44 207 413 5562, Mobile: +44 7778 472 116, Email: jsalomon@amnesty.org

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* Plea From The Brothers: "We all seek your help after Allah (subhaana wa ta'ala). We are going through a very difficult time. It is a responsibility on your shoulders. You must all write to the Home Secretary John Reid and ask him 'why did you put these people behind doors?' Tell Tony Blair, 'why don't you put these people before an ordinary court?' And also try to arrange a big demonstration for our immediate release. We all are innocent and we need to be around our families as everybody lives around his family....we're asking them just to support us, just to go at least for demonstration, just to write, just to do something". Detainee 'AS', Long Lartin

"At 80, Haji Nusrat -- detainee No. 1009 -- is Guantanamo Bay's oldest prisoner. A stroke 15 years ago left him partly paralyzed. He cannot stand up without assistance and hobbles to the bathroom behind a walker. Despite his paralysis, his swollen legs and feet are tightly cuffed and shackled to the floor. He says that his shoes are too tight and that he needs new ones. He has asked for medical attention for the inflammation in his legs, but has not been taken to a hospital" Interpreter to Guantanamo lawyers. (Source: Washington Post)

Write to: (Enter Prisoner name), Camp Delta, P.O. Box 160, Washington DC, 20053, USA. NOTE: Individuals should note that while we have had it confirmed from one of the US lawyers who has visited Guantanamo, that the US government do allow mail from non-family members, all mail is subject to extreme delays as well as censors. Only a few released detainees we spoke to had received mail from non-relatives, in spite of many having been sent. However, letter-writing can be considered a protest action, as it sends a strong message to the US administration that the world has not forgotten the prisoners in Guantanamo, but rather is immensely concerned about what is occuring in Cuba. (Cageprisoners)

** Ways In Which You Can Help ** Write to the detainees to remind them that the ummah have not forgotten them. * Donate or volunteer with Cageprsioners in order to enable them to carry out further research in order to locate the 1000's missing. * Donate or volunteer with Hhugs to aid the brother's families (who have lost their breadwinner in most cases) with their day to day lives. * Generally raise awareness about the effect the war on terror has on the innocent brothers and their families.

“As for the one who can do nothing, then the very least he can do is to raise his arms in the last third of the night praying against the oppressor and the despondent one, asking Allah to relieve us of our woes and to remove the burden from . The Prophet said, “Whoever forsakes a Muslim in a situation while he has the ability to help him, Allah will forsake him at a time when he would want the help of Allah.” (Sheikh Muhammad al-Habdan, sermon: Who Will Stand Up for the Muslim Prisoners?)