JANUARY 11 marked ten years since the first detainees were transferred to the US detention facility in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Despite President Obama’s January 2009 order to close the detention facility within one year, the prison remains open with 171 men still being held there.
One of the detainees is a former UK resident Shaker Aamer. Shaker was one of the first detainees transferred to Guantanamo, and is the last UK resident in the facility, and will on February 14 have spent ten years without charge or trial despite the repeated request from the UK government that he should be returned to the UK.
Originally from Saudi Arabia, he is married to a British citizen and has four British children who live in London.
Shaker has alleged abuse and torture in US custody, according to his lawyers. He has protested against conditions at the Guantanamo detention facility including taking part in hunger strikes which has led to him spending much of his time in solitary confinement. Recent reports about Shaker’s health are that he is in a very frail mental and physical state.
Amnesty members in Southampton and all over the world are campaigning for President Obama to close the detention facility as he promised.
BRENDA NEW, Southampton Branch Amnesty International.
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