Green MEPs demand G8 hearing for British resident held in Guantanamo Bay
07 July 2008
The UK's two Green Euro-MPs have written letters to the Foreign Office andEU foreign policy chief for the European Union Javier Solana this weekurging ministers to raise the case of a British resident incarcerated atGuantanamo Bay with US authorities at the G8 summit.
Dr Caroline Lucas, MEP for the South East, and Jean Lambert, MEP for London,are demanding that UK and EU representatives challenge American officialsover the continued detention of Binyam Mohamed, who was reportedly capturedin a process of 'extraordinary rendition'.
Mr Mohamed has been held without trial by the US for over 6 years and iscurrently detained in Guantanamo Bay. He is suffering severe psychologicaltrauma and is awaiting a decision about his case coming before a militarycommission.
Dr Lucas MEP said:
"The appalling treatment of Binyam Mohamed by the US authorities is a clearbreach of international human rights law. A military trial could result in adeath sentence being handed down and would even further undermine the ruleof law.
"The G8 summit in Japan is an ideal opportunity for ministers from the UKand the EU to demonstrate their commitment to humanitarian justice byquestioning US officials over his continued detention and, indeed, to demandthe closure of the Guantanamo facility itself.
"I also call on the UK government to release information it has in itspossession to show Mr Mohamed was a victim of extraordinary rendition. It iscompletely unacceptable that the government has so far held back thisvaluable evidence, which could ultimately lead to Mr Mohamed's release.
"The British authorities have finally secured the release of other UKresidents detained in Guantanamo, including one of my constituents OmarDeghayes. I now urge them to speak up for the remaining detainee, whosestory reveals the most horrific physical and emotional abuse as well asillegal rendition."
Jean Lambert MEP commented:
"Binyam Mohammed, a former London resident, has suffered the most atrociousand inhumane treatment since he was first detained, including being slashedacross his body and genitals with a razor blade. He has now been detainedwithout trial for over six years, is severely depressed and close to acomplete mental breakdown.
"The only known evidence against him has been obtained during periods oftorture and so is both unreliable and inadmissible. Any conviction based onsuch evidence would be wholly unsafe and unacceptable. International lawmust be upheld and all prisoners must have access to a fair trial incivilian courts. So far, there has been an appalling lack of any legalprotection or rights for detainees.
"In this, the 60th anniversary year of the Universal Declaration of HumanRights, we call on the EU to prioritise the immediate release of BinyamMohamed and all other prisoners who have been held for so long withoutcharge. This ongoing illegal imprisonment simply gives the green light foroppressive regimes around the world to follow the US example and disregardhuman rights."
