Welcome to Andy Worthington

A fundraiser marking ten years of my photo-journalism project ‘The State of London’, and marking five years since I began posting a photo a day from the project, plus accompanying essays, on Facebook. This is an entirely reader-funded project, so any help you can provide will be very gratefully received.

More good news from Guantánamo, as Hassan bin Attash, Guantánamo’s youngest prisoner, who was just 16 or 17 years old when he was first seized in a house raid in Pakistan in September 2002, is approved for release by a Periodic Review Board.

Linking to the video of a recent Q&A, featuring Mohamedou Ould Slahi, John Goetz and myself, following a screening of Goetz’s powerful documentary film, “Guantánamo Diary Revisited,” made available by its distributors in the US and Canada, Cinema Libre Studio. In the film, Goetz assists Slahi in tracking down some of those involved in his torture, the intention being to invite them to tea, and to let them know that he has forgiven everyone responsible for his torture.

In a world exclusive, originally posted on the Close Guantánamo website, I tell the story of Saeed Bakhouch, an Algerian prisoner seized in Pakistan in March 2002, who has finally been approved for release by a Periodic Review Board, after being held for 20 years without charge or trial.

Publicising the new documentary film, ‘The Battle for Deptford’, directed by Hat Vickers, about the struggle to save the Old Tidemill Wildlife Garden and Reginald House from destruction for an inappropriate housing development, which culminated in a two-month occupation of the garden that I was involved in, followed by its violent eviction by bailiffs hired by Lewisham Council.

Linking to and discussing the video of the powerful Q&A session that followed a screening of ‘The Mauritanian’ in Tunbridge Wells on March 20, 2022, featuring former Guantánamo prisoner Mohamedou Ould Salahi, whose story is told in the film.

Promoting the online screening, next week, of “Guantánamo Diary Revisited”, John Goetz’s new documentary about Mohamedou Ould Slahi, which is very generously being made available as a fundraiser to support my ongoing work on Guantánamo by the US and Canadian distributor, Cinema Libre Studio, with a Q&A session following, featuring Mohamedou, John and myself.

Promoting two recent radio interviews about Guantánamo – with former Guantánamo attorney Buz Eisenberg on WHMP 101.5 FM in Western Massachusetts, and with activist Misty Winston on TNT Radio, a new online radio station streaming worldwide, and based in Australia.

Celebrating the release from Guantánamo of Sufyian Barhoumi, an Algerian who was approved for release nearly five and a half years ago. 37 men now remain at the prison, but over half of them — 19 men — have also been approved for release, and President Biden also needs to arrange for these men to be given their freedom.

It’s ten years since Majid Khan agreed to a plea deal at Guantánamo, and a month since his sentence came to an end, and yet, despite it being clear throughout this entire period that he would be eligible for release in March 2022, the US government has made no plans for his release.