Since it was opened over twenty years ago, Guantánamo Bay detention camp has been at the forefront of the United States’ “War on Terror”. From its peak of 780 detainees in 2005, 30 people still remain incarcerated at Guantánamo in “law-of-war” detention. Of these, 20 have been recommended for release with security arrangements to another country. 10 are awaiting trial having been charged with terrorism related offences connected with Al-Qaeda, and one has been convicted.
The Bar Human Rights Committee of England & Wales (“BHRC”) has kept a watching brief on the use of the detention facility at Guantánamo and procedural developments in the Military Commissions being held there. In 2019, BHRC became the only UK-based organisation to be granted official observer status for the ongoing trials in the Military Commissions. Since then, BHRC has observed two cases at Guantánamo and has expressed serious concern that these proceedings demonstrate fundamental flaws and departure from fair trial norms.
Join us on 01 June at 6pm (BST) on Zoom to launch our latest trial observation report from USA v Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri. We will discuss the history of Camp Justice and its continued legitimacy as a mechanism to address the crimes of Al Qaeda in the 1990s and early 2000s.
Our expert panel, chaired by Stephen Cragg KC, Chair of the Bar Human Rights Committee will include:
Wells Dixon, Senior Staff Attorney, Center for Constitutional Rights focussing on unlawful detentions at Guantánamo Bay
Alka Pradhan, Human Rights Counsel, Guantánamo Bay Military Commissions
Carol Rosenberg, Guantánamo Bay Correspondent, The New York Times
Anthony Natale, lead counsel for the defense in Abdul Rahim Al Nashiri
Jodie Blackstock, Barrister at Garden Court Chambers and Treasurer at BHRC, trial observer in the Nashiri case
Amanda Weston KC, Barrister at Garden Court Chambers, trial observer in the 9/11 case
Please register here to attend. Please contact coordination@barhumanrights.org.uk if you have any questions about the event.
