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Innocent, Tortured 11 years in Guantánamo Without Charge: This Could Be You
The uncle of an innocent but tortured young man in Gutanamo Bay and the charity organization Reprieve have issued a call for action for FIP Nabil Hadjarab because this Friday marks his 11 years in Guantanamo Bay, never charged with any crime nor had a trial.
In 2007 American officials confirmed Nabil was no threat to anyone and cleared him for release, yet he remains imprisoned.
“My nephew Nabil is living a nightmare,” his uncle Ahmed Hadjarab said in a written statement published by Repriev Wednesday. “He has been detained at America’s infamous prison, Guantánamo, since 2002. There, he has been subjected to acts of torture and inhumane treatment despite having never been charged with a crime and despite having been cleared for release by the American authorities since 2007.”
“During his 11 years in Guantánamo, he has been subjected to all kinds of torture and inhuman treatment, according to Reprieve: sleep and sensory deprivation, temperature extremes and prolonged isolation. He has spent years with little or no access to sunlight, recreation or medical care, in a tiny, windowless, steel cell.
Such is the life of Falsely Imprisoned Person (FIP) Nabil Hadjarab, a fate that could be anyone’s, including Americans on U.S. soil under Barack Obama regime’s National Defense Authorization Act of 2013 (NDAA 2013).
In January, President Barack Obama signed the NDAA 2013, giving his stamp of approval without objecting to indefinite detention of Americans, the same as U.S. officials are treating some foreign nationals, such as Namil.
“On February 15, my nephew Nabil will have spent exactly 11 years at Guantánamo. This is despite the fact that Nabil is not a criminal and has not been charged with anything,” his uncle states.
“When I speak with him on the phone—which is unfortunately rare—he tells me how much he dreams of returning to France and of being reunited with his relatives with whom he grew up, particularly his half-brother Hakim (who won the National Medal for his service in the French army),” his uncle stated.
“Nabil told me of his wish to be a translator or interpreter, because he has spent his years in prison learning languages. (He speaks French, English and basic Arabic.)
A guard at Guantánamo has described Nabil as “a passionate footballer, a charming young man.”
How to help Nabil
Nabil longs to return to France, where he spent his childhood. He needs people to pressure the French government to bring him home.
Please sign this petition calling on the French government to bring Nabil home.
The petition text at the above link is in French, but below is an English translation of 11 Years in #Guantánamo for No Reason; Bring Nabil Hadjarab Back to France.
This petition will be presented to:
- The Minister of Interior of France, Manuel Valls
- The Minister of Foreign Affairs of France, Laurent Fabius
- The President of the French Republic, François Hollande
The petition is presented by Nabil’s uncle, Ahmed Hadjarab, and The Committee to Support Nabil Hadjarab.
“I am a French citizen. Several members of our family served in the French army and all of Nabil’s close relatives live in France. We therefore call on the Government of France to assist my nephew Nabil so that he may be freed and returned to the country which he loves and in which he grew up: France,” his uncle wrote, adding:
“Given that the Americans have affirmed that Nabil is cleared for release and does not pose any risk, he cannot remain indefinitely detained at Guantánamo. But because he was born Algerian, my nephew risks being sent to Algeria, a country where he does not have any family ties nor support.
“My family in conjunction with the legal action charity, Reprieve, which represents Guantánamo detainees, is launching this petition calling upon France to support human rights by welcoming Nabil home as soon as possible.
“Today, I have hope that things are finally moving. A petition by Canadian senator Roméo Dallaire on Change.org which called on the Canadian government to repatriate Omar Khadr—another young detainee—was successful. So it really is possible to make my nephew’s freedom a reality.
“I love France, my country, the birthplace of human rights and which has always sought to close Guantánamo. In welcoming my nephew Nabil, France would reaffirm these commitments.
To convince President François Hollande, Minister of Interior Manuel Valls and Minister of Foreign Affairs Laurent Fabius to take action, Reprieve needs support, simply by signing the petition.
The petition, addressed to Manuel Valls, Minister of Interior of France, Laurent Fabius, Minister of Foreign Affairs of France, and François Hollande, President of the French Republic reads:
Sirs,
Nabil Hadjarab, a 33-year old Algerian citizen, has been detained at Guantánamo since 15 February 2002 despite the fact that he has been cleared for release.
France is the country where Nabil spent his childhood. Several members of his family have served in the French army and all of his close relatives live in France, the country which he loves and to which he has asked to return since 2007.
In light of France’s commitment to human rights and in support of the closure of Guantánamo, we call upon you to do what you can to allow Nabil’s family to welcome him to France.
Cordially,
[Your name]
_________
Support the work of human rights news reporter Deborah Dupré by purchasing a copy of her latest book, “Vampire of Macondo, Life, crimes and curses in south Louisiana that Powerful Forces Don’t want you to know,” over 1000 references and 450 pages packed with censored stories about the BP-wrecked Macondo Prospect in the Gulf of Mexico that continues causing hidden catastrophic human and environmental devastation.
Watch the “Vampire of Macondo” video book trailer at www.vampireofmacondo.com.
Follow Dupré on Twitter @DeborahDupre. For interviews, email [email protected].
