Yesterday’s debate regarding the release of Shaker Aamer

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If you are interested in more information about yesterday’s debate regarding the release of Shaker Aamer in Parliament there is a transcript from the debate available here and also a video from Parliament TV available here

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Shaker Aamer talks about the hunger strike

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Shaker Aamers attorney, Clive Stafford-Smith, recently released a statement where he recounted his phone conversation with Shaker Aamer.

Most of the prisoners in Guantanamo have been on a hunger strike since the 7th of February this year. One of those prisoners is Shaker Aamer, the last British resident in the prison. He has during the strike lost 32 lbs which is seriously affecting his already poor health.

The hunger strike was allegedly started because the guards were searching through the prisoner’s Korans and disturbed the detainees during prayers. According to a top Pentagon official the searches will continue since it is alleged that the detainees might hide improvised weapons, food, medicine etc. in them. He fails to acknowledge that prisoners who are devoted Muslims thinks that hiding things in the Koran is an insult to the holy book, just like the searching through them.

To read the statement please click here.

Order Spectacle’s DVDs  Shaker Aamer: a decade of injustice ( New Version) and  Outside The Law: Stories from Guantánamo

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US Government acknowledge the Hunger Strike and the closing of Guantanamo

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Right before Easter, the White House said that they are closely monitoring the hunger strike at Guantanamo Bay. The US government have up until this point tried to ignore the existence of the strike but coincidentally enough, they now admit its existence the same week as the Red Cross, because of the hunger strike, is sending a delegation to check the conditions of the prison and the detainees.

The number of prisoners on hunger strike are only 31 according to a Pentagon spokesman. a number not compatible with the 130 prisoners on hunger strike according to a Saudi prisoner. Through his lawyer Clive Stafford Smith, Shaker Aamer confirmed that, just in camp V, 66 prisoners are on hunger strike, and that more and more prisoners are joining the protest movement.

Shaker also told his lawyer that he had, since the hunger strike started 6th February, lost 32 pounds. According to authorities 11 other detainees are force fed with tubes and three others have been hospitalised for severe dehydration.

While admitting they are monitoring the hunger strike, the White House also said that Obama-administration still plans to close Guantanamo, something Obama has failed to mention in earlier speeches regarding keeping his promises. They did mention though that the closing will take time because of the legislation that Congress put in place. Why Congress is so against closing Guantanamo is unknown, but it is a good scapegoat.

Another interesting question is, if Obama is so keen on closing Guantanamo and it is only the Congress who are holding him back, why did Obama decide to fund the building of a new prison at Guantanamo, and also the building of a new camp 7? Why put millions of dollars into something that hopefully will not be needed? Or is the plan not to close Guantanamo and keep coming up with bad excuses why they can not release the prisoners?

Order Spectacle’s DVDs  Shaker Aamer: a decade of injustice ( New Version) and  Outside The Law: Stories from Guantánamo

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Money requested for new prison at Guantanamo

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Too many times have we heard about Obama’s promise to close down Guantanamo bay. Still nothing has happened. For too many years have hundreds of men been held in the prison, most of them for no reason at all. What is even more fascinating is that more money have been requested for a new prison at Guantanamo, some of the money is rumored to go to a new camp 7.

Why build a new prison if you are going to close it down? Why still keep prisoners who are cleared for release in Guantanamo? For me it seems like the US government are just coming up with new excuses to avoid closing Guantanamo, avoid taking consequences for their actions at the prison and avoid letting the truth about the torture that the prisoners have subjected to to reach the public.

The hunger strike is still going on at the prison. Guards have confiscated the prisoner’s Korans and other personal items. They have also been disrespectful during praying time.The only way the detainees can protest is by refusing to eat. Why is it so hard to respect people’s religion and how can the world just stand and watch these men being treated like they are worth nothing?

And other question that I hope we will get answered soon is, what is going to happen to Shaker Aamer? Will he ever be able to seet his family again or is he going to spend the rest of his life in a prison, even if he has been cleared for release twice?

Order Spectacle’s DVDs  Shaker Aamer: a decade of injustice ( New Version) and  Outside The Law: Stories from Guantánamo

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Shaker Aamer Awareness Week

This week is the Shaker Aamer awareness week and with a massive hunger strike going on at Guantanamo, the media are paying extra attention to the easily forgotten detainees at the prison. Even though the U.S government are pretending that the hunger-strike does not exist, there has been a renewed focus on Shaker, the last British resident in Guantanamo.

Shaker Aamer, who has been cleared for release both under President Bush and President Obama, has been in the prison for 11 years. Shaker’s family have launched an e-petition that needs 100,000 signatures before the 20th of April 2013 to be eligible for a Parliamentary debate about how the UK government can ensure Shaker Aamer’s return to his wife and four children in Wandsworth South London.

This week there are a variety of events to alert people to the awful things that happen at Guantanamo, to remind people about Shaker Aamer and to encourage them to sign the e-petition.

For more information about the different events please visit:

Shaker Aamer awareness week
Save Shaker
Andy Worthington

Order Spectacle’s DVDs  Shaker Aamer: a decade of injustice ( New Version) and  Outside The Law: Stories from Guantánamo

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Shaker Aamer-11 years in Guantánamo

Today is the 11th anniversary of Shaker Aamer’s detention in Guantánamo. He has been detained without trial and has been approved for release twice, but he still remains in Guantánamo. So today, when most of us celebrate valentines day, Shaker Aamer and his family have been away from each other for 11 years.

Please help Shaker Aamer to get out of this injustice by signing the e-petition to the British Government calling for his immediate release. Let him reunite with his wife and four children, one of whom he has never met.

Order Spectacle’s DVDs  Shaker Aamer: a decade of injustice ( New Version) and  Outside The Law: Stories from Guantánamo

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Shaker Aamer, the bitter face of Saint Valentine’s Day

The 14th of February is known for being the day of the love. However, for Shaker Aamer this date commemorates his imprisonment in Guantanamo. Eleven years being far from his wife and children, without having had a trial or any charges brought against him.

As an act of ‘love’ this 14th of February sign the e-petition to the British Government calling for the immediate release of Shaker Aamer.

 

If you want to know more about Shaker Aamer’s story watch our documentary: ‘Shaker Aamer: A decade of injustice’

 

Order Spectacle’s DVDs  Shaker Aamer: a decade of injustice ( New Version) and  Outside The Law: Stories from Guantánamo

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Shaker Aamer, la cara más amarga del día de los enamorados

El 14 de Febrero es famoso por ser el día en el que triunfa el amor. Sin embargo, para Shaker Aamer esta fecha conmemora el undécimo aniversario de su ingreso en Guantánamo. Once años alejado de su mujer e hijos, sin tener cargos en su contra y sin haber tenido un juicio.

Como acto de ¨amor¨ este 14 de Febrero firma la peticón online al Gobierno británico para que Shaker sea liberado y puede volver a su casa en Londres con su familia.

 

¿Quieres saber más sobre la historia de Shaker? Mira nuestro documental:

´Shaker Aamer: Una década de injusticia´

Spectacle ha seguido el caso de Shaker Aamer en detalle tras concluír la realización de Outside The Law: Stories from Guantanamo en 2009.

Encarga el DVD de Spectcle Outside The Law: Stories from Guantánamo

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Is Guantánamo still closing down?

President Obama recently spoke about the different promises and “journeys” he wants to complete during his time as a president. He put a special emphasis on gay rights and how the journey was not complete until gay men and women are treated the same as anyone else under the law.

Of course we also support gay rights, we can’t help but wonder why he failed to mention anything about the closing of Guantánamo. Does this mean that the UK resident Shaker Aamer, imprisoned uncharged and untried in Guantánamo for almost 11 years, has to stay in prison even longer?

Was the non-mentioning of Guantánamo an honest mistake by the President or is there another reason behind it?

Order Spectacle’s DVDs  Shaker Aamer: a decade of injustice ( New Version) and  Outside The Law: Stories from Guantánamo

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Jihad Ahmed, Shaker Aamer: diferentes nombres una misma historia

Jihad Diyab al igual que Shaker Aamer lleva más de diez años encarcelado en Guantánamo sin cargos ni juicio. Ahora la administración Obama ha decidido que no tienen razones para mantenerlo detenido. Pero regresar a Siria, su país de origen, tras haber estado en Guantánamo solo podría significar ser torturado, detenido o incluso asesinado. Por lo que necesita un país que lo reciba como refugiado. Parte de la familia materna de Jihad viven en Argentina por lo que su abogado ha pedido que se le de asilo en el país rioplatenese.

Si quieres conocer más a fondo la historia de Jihad Diyab lee el reciente artículo publicado por el diario La Nación.

Al igual que Jihad, Shaker Aamer continúa detenido en Guantánamo. Conoce su historia y haz que cambie su rumbo:

Apoya nuesto trabajo comprando la versión en español del documental Shaker Aamer: Una década de injusticia

Spectacle ha seguido el caso de Shaker Aamer en detalle tras concluír la realización de Outside The Law: Stories from Guantanamo en 2009.

Encarga el DVD de Spectcle Outside The Law: Stories from Guantánamo

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