Moazzam Begg’s dignified explanation of why he is not attending Amnesty’s screening of “Outside the Law: Stories from Guantánamo”

This evening, Amnesty International is screening “Outside the Law: Stories from Guantánamo,” the new documentary, directed by Polly Nash and myself, which tells the story of the Bush administration’s despicable post-9/11 flight from the law through interviews with former prisoners Omar Deghayes and Moazzam Begg, lawyers Clive Stafford Smith and Tom Wilner, and myself. 

The film focuses, in particular, on the stories of Omar (released in December 2007), Binyam Mohamed (released in February 2009), and Shaker Aamer, who is still held. Further information about the rest of the UK tour can be found here.

For this evening’s screening, Omar Deghayes and I were supposed to be joined by Moazzam Begg for a Q&A after the film, but following a mistaken campaign opposing Amnesty International’s relationship with Moazzam and Cageprisoners (the organization of which he is director), Moazzam has decided not to take part, and has issued the following statement, explaining that he is only doing so to ensure that the focus of the evening “is not about my personal beliefs or Amnesty’s internal issues but [so] that the lives of men who have suffered human rights violations for so many years, as discussed in ‘Outside the Law,’ are not overshadowed.”

I fully understand Moazzam’s reasons for not wishing to allow anything to detract from the film’s message, which is perfectly in keeping with the measured and constructive manner in which he has always used his experience to shine a light on the horrors of Guantánamo, and has always sought to promote awareness, and to defuse anger through understanding — something that, above all, thoroughly refutes claims that he is some sort of extremist.

I am, of course, disappointed that it has come to this, and hope that those who have been so swift to vilify Moazzam recently pay close attention to his words, and reflect, in particular, on his statement that he has tried to “develop a nuanced approach to fostering understanding, between communities that are increasingly becoming polarized, through the language of education, understanding, acceptance and reconciliation.”

I also hope that those seeking to detract from the film’s message either stay away, or leave their prejudices at the door, and echo Moazzam’s question about why “this argument is occurring now, especially at a time when revelations are being made that UK intelligence was fully aware that Binyam Mohamed was being abused,” and also at the same time that Moazzam, supported by Amnesty International, was visiting other countries in Europe “asking governments to give sanctuary to cleared Guantánamo prisoners who are unable to return to their homes.”

A statement by Moazzam Begg

It has been my pleasure to have worked closely with Amnesty since my return from Guantánamo on highlighting the cases and campaigning against the human rights abuses that have occurred in the name of fighting terrorism since the outset of the “War on Terror.” The relationship I have with Amnesty goes back to the years when I was incarcerated in US custody and my father was receiving immense moral and practical support from the organisation — something both he and I will never forget.

It is very unfortunate that this relationship is now being severely tested by both internal and external forces that would like nothing better than to see that work damaged, or even terminated. Since my return I have spoken about and written my views more times than I can remember. My goals for doing this have been to expose the reality of detention without trial, torture, cruelty and dehumanisation and, at the same time, develop a nuanced approach to fostering understanding, between communities that are increasingly becoming polarized, through the language of education, understanding, acceptance and reconciliation.

I do not claim to have all the answers to every question on human rights; five years ago I could not even answer if I was going to live or face execution. But, I truly cannot understand why this is all happening now, since nothing that has been said in the media is new at all — no new and sensational revelations, no new controversial comments, at least not by or about me.

I have just returned from a pan-European tour asking governments to give sanctuary to cleared Guantánamo prisoners who are unable to return to their homes, so I find it odd that this argument is occurring now, especially at a time when revelations are being made that UK intelligence was fully aware that Binyam Mohamed was being abused. This is something I have said about my own case since my return too — and, I believe, the same will also be revealed about Shaker Aamer, on whose behalf I hope most people tonight will campaign.

I apologise for not attending this evening’s event but I have decided to abstain from taking part only so that the focus is not about my personal beliefs or Amnesty’s internal issues but [so] that the lives of men who have suffered human rights violations for so many years, as discussed in “Outside the Law,” are not overshadowed.

If people are interested in knowing my views regarding all the controversies discussed in the national press last week they can be seen on Cageprisoners.

I wish this evening’s event and Amnesty UK and Andy Worthington every success.

Moazzam Begg

Note: Moazzam’s statement will be read out at the screening tonight. Although I was provided with a copy, I had no intention of publishing it in advance, but have done so because Sunny Hundal published it on Pickled Politics, stating, “I managed to get a statement by Moazzam Begg on why he pulled out of the Amnesty event,” and adding, “I’ll have more on this tomorrow.”

Andy Worthington is the author of The Guantánamo Files: The Stories of the 774 Detainees in America’s Illegal Prison (published by Pluto Press, distributed by Macmillan in the US, and available from Amazon — click on the following for the US and the UK). To receive new articles in your inbox, please subscribe to my RSS feed (and I can also be found on Facebook and Twitter). Also see my definitive Guantánamo prisoner list, updated in January 2010, and, if you appreciate my work, feel free to make a donation.