End Guantanamo - Bring them home

January 7, 2006

Those campaigning on behalf of the families of the British residents detained at Guantanamo are very concerned at government intransigence over the continued detention at Guantanamo Bay of the 8 British non-nationals Omar Deghayes, Benyam Mohammed, Shaker Aamer, Jamal Kiyemba, Bisher al-Rawi, Jamal El Banna, Ahmed Errachiddi, Ahmed Ben Bacha and Abdelnour Sameur, 3 of whom have been detained without trial and without any charge made against them for over 3 years.

The recent statement by Prime Minister Tony Blair that Guantanamo Bay is "an anomaly that must end" (22nd November 2005) is welcomed, as is the view stated by Attorney-General Lord Goldsmith that US Military tribunals are unacceptable as they do not meet the minimum standards for a fair trial (June 2004).

We say, however, that government policy not to make immediate representations on behalf of the 9 British non-nationals still detained at Guantanamo Bay does not sufficiently reflect this position. The situation is made all the more urgent in light of recent reports on the continued hunger strike and a UN report that credible allegations have been made of hunger-strikers being fed in a cruel manner, the pending military commission trial of Benyam Mohammed al Habashi; and the allegations of torture and extraordinary rendition made by some of the 9 British non-nationals.

It is unlawful, discriminatory and morally wrong to refuse to support these 9 British non-nationals on the basis that the government has given - that it can only make representations on behalf of British people with citizenship status. Furthermore such a position can only have a destabilising effect here in the UK, causing uncertainty in immigrant communities and a lack of faith in all sectors that our government is able to stand up for basic principals of democracy.

Given recent changes in the US that deny foreign nationals the right to judicial review of their detention or to have allegations of torture in custody heard by a US Court, and allows statements obtained through torture to be used as "probative testimony", our Government's refusal to seek the immediate repatriation to the UK of Omar Deghayes, Benyam Mohammed, Shaker Aamer, Jamal Kiyemba, Bisher al-Rawi, Jamal El Banna, Ahmed Errachiddi, Ahmed Ben Bacha and Abdelnour Sameur is in effect an expression of support for US practise of indefinite detention without trial and torture.

We would therefore like you to sign the petition demanding the British government, specially the Prime Minister, Foriegn Secretary and the Home Sectretary should consider these demands and take appropriate action on behalf of all the British residents held at Guantanamo.