PRESS RELEASE
09 January 2008
Former Guantanamo Detainees Deliver Letter to 10 Downing Street
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LETTER EMBARGOED UNTIL 00:00hrs GMT FRIDAY 11^th JANUARY
On 11th January 2008 former Guantanamo detainees will gather outside 10 Downing Street at 11:30 am to deliver a letter calling for the closure of the base and the release of British residents Binyam Mohammed Al Habashi and Ahmed Bel Bacha. Attending the event will be Moazzam Begg, Martin Mubanga, Bisher Al Rawi and MEP Jean Lambert.
The letter, addressed to Prime Minister Gordon Brown, has been signed by a number of dignitaries including Baroness Helena Kennedy, Baroness Sarah Ludford, Lord Nazir Ahmed, Sir Geoffrey Bindman and many others, ranging across all parts of British society.
The 6th year of detentions in Guantanamo Bay has brought renewed calls by human rights organisations and former Guantanamo detainees for its closure and fair trials/repatriation of those unlawfully detained.
Moazzam Begg, former Guantanamo Bay detainee and spokesman for Cageprisoners commented, "Entering its seventh year, the internment of hundreds of men in Guantanamo Bay - without charge or trial - continues to be amongst the most visibly repugnant and persistently embarrassing episodes of the US-led 'War on Terror'. Last year, even former US Secretary of State, Colin Powell declared, "if it were up to me I would close Guantanamo not tomorrow but this afternoon ..." The intervention by the present UK administration in securing the return of four British residents last year is most welcome. But a similar assertion to that of Mr. Powell's by the British government is now highly overdue."
The 6th Anniversary will be marked with a whole day of actions organised by the *London Guantanamo Campaign* in conjunction with Cageprisoners. The evening will bring a demonstration between *6-8 pm in Parliament Square* where former detainees, politicians and celebrities will be addressing the public. The day however will be filled with ‘statues’ action in different areas of London. The human statues will be dressed in orange jumpsuits and will stand in different locations to symbolise different aspects of the War on Terror. Further details can be found at: http://www.cageprisoners.com/campaigns.php?id=632
A copy of the letter to Gordon Brown is available at: http://www.cageprisoners.com/page.php?id=28
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Cageprisoners is a human rights organisation that exists to raise awareness of the plight of the prisoners at Guant anamo Bay and other detainees held as part of the War on Terror. We aim to give a voice to the voiceless.
_Media _
Contact: Moazzam Begg
Email: moazzam.begg@cageprisoners.com
Number: 0044 (0) 7875090494
Contact: London Guantanamo Campaign
Email: 07809757176
Number: london_gitmo@yahoo.co.uk