We wanted to give you an update on how Reprieve’s client, Mohammed El Gharani, is faring after his first few days out of Guantánamo Bay . Mohammed returned to Chad last Friday after seven years of being held there.
Reprieve lawyer Ahmed Ghappour and investigator Chris Chang are currently in Chad visiting Mohammed. Ahmed sent us the picture below, while Chris wrote to us yesterday with this news:
“We just got back from visiting Mohammed - he is looking well in full Chadian attire. He is still being held at the Ministry of the Interior, awaiting sign-off on his release and we met with him at the Police Headquarters. His Uncle Hamid was with us and it was very moving to see them reunited.”
“Mohamed said he has been treated okay and that he has been seen by a doctor. He is being taken on a tour of the town this evening and he has asked that Ahmed and I come with him, and that he spend the rest of the evening with us.”
Although we are delighted that Mohammed has been released from Guantánamo, we are concerned that he is still being held in police custody in Chad . We are doing everything we can to ensure he is released as soon as possible and will of course keep you updated on any further developments.
Successes such as Mohammed’s release would not be possible without your support – thank you. Please continue to help us achieve freedom for prisoners denied justice around the world by making a donation at http://www.reprieve.org.uk/.
More on Mohammed’s Case
Mohammed was wrongfully imprisoned in Guantánamo for seven years, arrested in 2001 at the age of only 14, while attending a mosque in Pakistan .
Mohammed was held at the notorious Bagram Air Force Base, and subjected to a range of abuses, including beatings and racist insults. He was then taken to Guantanamo Bay where the abuse continued, as verified by a 2008 FBI report.
Amongst other abuse, Mohammed was kept tightly shackled to the ground in a hunched position for hours, forcing him to urinate on himself. He was moved from cell to cell every few hours to prevent him from sleeping. He was subjected to repeated physical assaults. He was kept in freezing conditions, under prolonged strobe lights and was blasted with loud music for hours at a time. The entire time, racist slurs continued.
In January 2009 US Federal Judge Richard Leon reviewed the evidence against Mohammed and ordered his release, finding that he is not and had never been an enemy combatant.
Six months after President Obama’s pledge to close Guantánamo within a year, Mohammed El Gharani is only the seventh prisoner to be released on the new President’s watch. The first was Binyam Mohamed, another of Reprieve’s clients.
For further information about our work or to make a donation visit http://www.reprieve.org.uk/
Reprieve lawyer Ahmed Ghappour and investigator Chris Chang are currently in Chad visiting Mohammed. Ahmed sent us the picture below, while Chris wrote to us yesterday with this news:
“We just got back from visiting Mohammed - he is looking well in full Chadian attire. He is still being held at the Ministry of the Interior, awaiting sign-off on his release and we met with him at the Police Headquarters. His Uncle Hamid was with us and it was very moving to see them reunited.”
“Mohamed said he has been treated okay and that he has been seen by a doctor. He is being taken on a tour of the town this evening and he has asked that Ahmed and I come with him, and that he spend the rest of the evening with us.”
Although we are delighted that Mohammed has been released from Guantánamo, we are concerned that he is still being held in police custody in Chad . We are doing everything we can to ensure he is released as soon as possible and will of course keep you updated on any further developments.
Successes such as Mohammed’s release would not be possible without your support – thank you. Please continue to help us achieve freedom for prisoners denied justice around the world by making a donation at http://www.reprieve.org.uk/.
More on Mohammed’s Case
Mohammed was wrongfully imprisoned in Guantánamo for seven years, arrested in 2001 at the age of only 14, while attending a mosque in Pakistan .
Mohammed was held at the notorious Bagram Air Force Base, and subjected to a range of abuses, including beatings and racist insults. He was then taken to Guantanamo Bay where the abuse continued, as verified by a 2008 FBI report.
Amongst other abuse, Mohammed was kept tightly shackled to the ground in a hunched position for hours, forcing him to urinate on himself. He was moved from cell to cell every few hours to prevent him from sleeping. He was subjected to repeated physical assaults. He was kept in freezing conditions, under prolonged strobe lights and was blasted with loud music for hours at a time. The entire time, racist slurs continued.
In January 2009 US Federal Judge Richard Leon reviewed the evidence against Mohammed and ordered his release, finding that he is not and had never been an enemy combatant.
Six months after President Obama’s pledge to close Guantánamo within a year, Mohammed El Gharani is only the seventh prisoner to be released on the new President’s watch. The first was Binyam Mohamed, another of Reprieve’s clients.
For further information about our work or to make a donation visit http://www.reprieve.org.uk/
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