Tag Archives: Joy Hurcombe

Shaker Aamer-11 years in Guantánamo

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Today is the 11th anniversary of Shaker Aamer’s detention in Guantánamo. He has been detained without trial and has been approved for release twice, but he still remains in Guantánamo. So today, when most of us celebrate valentines day, Shaker Aamer and his family have been away from each other for 11 years.

Please help Shaker Aamer to get out of this injustice by signing the e-petition to the British Government calling for his immediate release. Let him reunite with his wife and four children, one of whom he has never met.

Order Spectacle’s DVDs  Shaker Aamer: a decade of injustice ( New Version) and  Outside The Law: Stories from Guantánamo

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Or visit our Guantánamo project  and Shaker Aamer project pages for more information and videos.

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Shaker Aamer, the bitter face of Saint Valentine’s Day

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The 14th of February is known for being the day of the love. However, for Shaker Aamer this date commemorates his imprisonment in Guantanamo. Eleven years being far from his wife and children, without having had a trial or any charges brought against him.

As an act of ‘love’ this 14th of February sign the e-petition to the British Government calling for the immediate release of Shaker Aamer.

 

If you want to know more about Shaker Aamer’s story watch our documentary: ‘Shaker Aamer: A decade of injustice’

 

Order Spectacle’s DVDs  Shaker Aamer: a decade of injustice ( New Version) and  Outside The Law: Stories from Guantánamo

Click Guantánamo for more blogs
Or visit our Guantánamo project  and Shaker Aamer project pages for more information and videos.

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Is Guantánamo still closing down?

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President Obama recently spoke about the different promises and “journeys” he wants to complete during his time as a president. He put a special emphasis on gay rights and how the journey was not complete until gay men and women are treated the same as anyone else under the law.

Of course we also support gay rights, we can’t help but wonder why he failed to mention anything about the closing of Guantánamo. Does this mean that the UK resident Shaker Aamer, imprisoned uncharged and untried in Guantánamo for almost 11 years, has to stay in prison even longer?

Was the non-mentioning of Guantánamo an honest mistake by the President or is there another reason behind it?

Order Spectacle’s DVDs  Shaker Aamer: a decade of injustice ( New Version) and  Outside The Law: Stories from Guantánamo

Click Guantánamo for more blogs
Or visit our Guantánamo project  and Shaker Aamer project pages for more information and videos.

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London Guantanamo Campaign, 11 January 2013

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Invitation to Journalists/Filmmakers/Photographers:

The London Guantanamo Campaign will mark the 11th anniversary of the opening of the US-run prison camp at Guantanamo Bay with a day-long action entitled “All Roads Lead to Guantanamo”. It will take in a series of “tours” recounting the journeys of various prisoners to the prison camp, culminating in a candlelight vigil outside the US Embassy at 6pm that evening.

The “tours” will take place in the afternoon and will involve groups of individuals travelling between the embassies of the various countries involved in the journey of a prisoner to Guantanamo Bay (for example, capture in Pakistan, imprisonment in Egypt and then Afghanistan, rendition to Guantanamo via Portugal) with “smart mob” actions outside each of the embassies. While tour routes will be communicated to those taking part in them prior to the tour, the timings – like the journeys of the prisoners – will remain secret and will only be communicated via social media (Facebook/Twitter) shortly before the tour stop itself.

An important aspect of the daytime action is citizen journalism and allowing those who cannot take part to get involved in the journey via social media and live streaming. To this end, people are invited to embed themselves in one of these tours.

If you would be interested in joining a “tour”, a list of “operating” tours, detailing their start time and approximate total time, can be provided. Each tour will follow the route of a separate prisoner and will be unique in nature, depending on how the tour guide and group wish to proceed (they may choose to incorporate street theater/ visual action, etc.) You will be put in touch with the tour guide of that tour to become a part of that team and cover the tour as it proceeds on the day, as well as help to suggest how it should proceed, if you so wish. More than one media worker may cover one tour.

You would then receive help publicising any films/photographs/reports, etc. you produce.

For more information on this action: http://londonguantanamocampaign.blogspot.co.uk/#!/2012/11/all-roads-lead-to-guantanamo-bayon-11th.htmland see the promotional video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gzhe9BnrGIk&feature=plcp The action can also be followed on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/AllRoadsLeadToGuantanamo and Twitter @allroadsleadG11

For further information, you can contact the coordinator, Aisha Maniar, by e-mail london.gtmo@gmail.com or call 07809 757 176.

london.gtmo@gmail.com

londonguantanamocampaign.blogspot.com

Order Spectacle’s DVDs  Shaker Aamer: a decade of injustice ( New Version) and  Outside The Law: Stories from Guantánamo

Click Guantánamo for more blogs
Or visit our Guantánamo project  and Shaker Aamer project pages for more information and videos.

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The Latest Photo Released of Shaker Aamer

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The above photo of Shaker Aamer is the latest of him to be released under the authority of the American military. It is somewhat unusual when you consider that he is approaching eleven years in Guantanamo Bay having never had a trial. For that reason it seems surprising that no great controversy has been fueled. However, in his article Guantanamo expert Andy Worthington expresses his delight at the photo and points out the joy of Aamer’s family. They must therefore see it as symbolic of his positive spirit despite what he has had to endure.

It will no doubt reignite interest in the question of just when will Shaker Aamer be released following what has now been over a decade of injustice. The following quotes from a recent Independent article highlight some of the latest progress for the campaign to secure his release

He will be interviewed in the next couple of weeks, The Independent on Sunday has learnt, by a team from the Metropolitan Police, who will also question him in relation to the claims by a former detainee, Binyam Mohamed, that he too was tortured.

 

News of Mr Aamer’s planned interview with police came as lawyers prepared to file a motion saying his indefinite detention without being produced in court amounts to torture. Irene Nembhard, of Birnberg Peirce and Partners, said: “That is established in international law. The Brits should be saying that his detention amounts to torture and if he is not released they should make a complaint under the United Nations Convention against Torture. It is patently clear British diplomacy has failed. Consequently, they have to think of something else to do.

Please feel free to contribute your thoughts on the latest photo of Shaker Aamer

Please sign the petition for his release

Order Spectacle’s DVDs Shaker Amer: a decade of injustice and Outside The Law: Stories from Guantánamo

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London Guantánamo Campaign holds protest outside US Embassy

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On US Election night the London Guantánamo Campaign hosted a protest outside the US Embassy at which various organisations raised human rights concerns about prisoners in the USA.

Among those who spoke at the event were Chris Nineham (Stop The War Coalition), Dr Shahrar Ali (Green Party), Joy Hurcombe (Save Shaker Aamer Campaign), Hamja Ahsan (Free Talha Campaign), Aviva Stahl (Cageprisoners), Anthony Timmons (WISE Up for Bradley Manning), Ilyas Townsend (Justice for Aafia Coalition) as well as performances by poets Miz The Poet, Ibrahim Sincere and Ed Greens.

The event took place around the statue of former president Eisenhower in front of a US Embassy lit up by a laser projection of the stars and stripes. Speakers called on whoever is elected as president to end the shameful human rights abuses represented by the continued detentions at Guantanamo and recent extraditions to the US from this country, and an end to the unlawful practice of extraordinary rendition.

Aisha Maniar, organiser for the London Guantánamo Campaign, said:
“Four years ago, a new American president, Barack Obama, promised the world a change it could believe in. One change he put his name to in writing was the closure of Guantánamo Bay and the end of military tribunals there. That has not materialised; the American administration has added drone attacks to its repertoire of extralegal activity, expanded the scope of arbitrary detention without charge or trial, and over 160 prisoners remain at Guantánamo Bay after almost 11 years, including British resident Shaker Aamer.”

Images and full story here.

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“Shaker Aamer: a Decade of Injustice” Screening at House of Commons

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Spectacle’s short film “Shaker Aamer: A Decade of Injustice” was screened on 29th October in the House of Commons to a full house. The screening was attended by human rights lawyer Gareth Peirce, Caroline Lucas MP,  Clive Stafford Smith OBE of Reprieve, Jane Ellison MP, and members of the Save Shaker Aamer Campaign, among others, and was followed by a panel discussion focused on how we can all work for Shaker Aamer’s release from Guantanamo and return to the UK.

Jane Ellison contributed to the discussion, as well as some words of support from the Green Party’s Caroline Lucas. Ellison shared how she urged William Hague to address the issue of Shaker’s continued detention at Guantanamo, whilst Lucas lamented the “derisory” number of MPs who have signed an Early Day Motion calling on the British government to secure his release.

Gareth Pierce, an English defense lawyer who specialises in Human rights cases said: “The moment the British government said they were doing everything they could to bring Shaker home, they were doing exactly the reverse.”

Shaker Aamer is one of the 171 men still held in detention in Guantanamo Bay on the camp’s 10th anniversary. Despite never having had a trial, having been approved for release twice, and a growing number of people from all walks of life campaigning on his behalf, Shaker remains in detention. His physical and mental health deterioration is a prevalent concern.

Spectacle has followed the case of Shaker Aamer in detail since the completion of Outside The Law: Stories from Guantanamo in 2009.

Support our project by buying  Shaker Aamer: A decade of injustice

Visita nuestro Guantánamo project para más información en el vídeo

Sign the International petition here to the British government calling for the immediate release of Shaker Aamer.

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“Shaker Aamer: a decade of injustice” screening in House of Commons next Monday

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An updated version of Spectacle’s short film “Shaker Aamer: A decade of injustice” will be screened next Monday in the House of Commons. It will be followed by a panel discussion and Q&A to focus on how we can all work for Shaker Aamer’s release and return to the UK.

This new version includes interviews with Clive Baldwin- Senior Legal Advisor Human Rights Watch- and Ruth Blakely- Senior Lecturer In International Relations at University of Kent.

Shaker Aamer is one of the 171 men still held in detention in Guantanamo Bay on the camp’s 10th anniversary. Despite never having had a trial, having been approved for release twice, and a growing number of people from all walks of life campaigning for him, Shaker remains in detention. His physical and mental health deterioration is a prevalent concern.

Monday 29th October, at 7pm to 9 pm 
Room 15, the House of Commons, London SW1A2TT (St. Stephen’s Entrance)
 Meeting hosted by Jane Ellison MP on behalf of the Save Shaker Aamer Campaign (SSAC).

Speakers:

Clive Stafford Smith OBE, Jane Ellison MP,

Omar Deghayes, Kate Hudson, Yvonne Ridley,

Joy Hurcombe Others invited/include:

Caroline Lucas MP, Sarah Ludford MEP, John McDonnell MP, and Terry Waite CBE.

 

Please note – arrive in good time for the meeting. Allow 20 minutes to clear security at the House of Commons. The House of Commons is a no-smoking zone and we are requested not take in any food.

 

Support our project by buying  Shaker Aamer: A decade of injustice

Spectacle has followed the case of Shaker Aamer in detail since the completion of Outside The Law: Stories from Guantanamo in 2009.

Click Guantánamo for more blogs
O visita nuestro Guantánamo project para más información y vídeos.

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