Guantanamo global vigils 2023-24

Photos from, and my report about the ten vigils for the closure of Guantánamo that took place across the US and around the world on August 7, 2024, marking 18 months of coordinated monthly global vigils that I initiated in February last year. The vigils take place on the first Wednesday of every month, and the next date is September 4.

Photos from, and my report about the ten vigils for the closure of Guantánamo that took place across the US and around the world on July 3, 2024, the latest in an ongoing series of monthly coordinated global vigils that began last year. The vigils take place on the first Wednesday of every month, and the next date is August 7.

Photos from, and my report about the ten vigils for the closure of Guantánamo that took place across the US and around the world on June 5, 2024, the latest in an ongoing series of monthly coordinated global vigils that began last year. The vigils take place on the first Wednesday of every month, and the next date is July 3.

Photos from, and my report about the eight vigils for the closure of Guantánamo that took place across the US and around the world on May 1, 2024, the latest in an ongoing series of monthly coordinated global vigils that began last year. The vigils take place on the first Wednesday of every month, and the next date is June 5.

Photos from, and my report about the nine vigils for the closure of Guantánamo that took place across the US and around the world on April 3, 2024, the latest in an ongoing series of monthly coordinated global vigils that began last year. The vigils take place on the first Wednesday of every month, and the next date is May 1. This month’s vigils featured a special one-off vigil from inside the European Parliament, at an exhibition of prisoners’ artwork attended by former prisoner Mansoor Adayfi.

Photos from, and my report about the eight vigils for the closure of Guantánamo that took place across the US and around the world on March 6, 2024, the latest in an ongoing series of monthly coordinated global vigils that began last year. The vigils take place on the first Wednesday of every month, and the next date is April 3.

Linking to, and discussing my recent interview with Chris Cook of Gorilla Radio, in which we discussed Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza, the significance of the recent by-election victory in the UK of George Galloway, the continuing plight of the 16 men still held at Guantánamo who have long been approved for release, the global vigils for the prison’s closure, and the continuing plight of Julian Assange, who is still fighting in the British courts to prevent his extradition to the US to face outrageous and unjustifiable espionage charges relating to WikiLeaks’ publication, in 2010-11, of classified US files leaked by Chelsea Manning. Chris also played ‘Warriors’, my recently released song about Julian and Chelsea, recorded with The Four Fathers.

Photos from, and my report about the eight vigils for the closure of Guantánamo that took place across the US and around the world on February 7, 2024, the latest in an ongoing series of monthly coordinated global vigils that began last year. The vigils take place on the first Wednesday of every month, and the next date is March 6.

My review of Guantánamo in 2023, events marking the 22nd anniversary of the prison’s opening on January 11, 2024, and hopes, plans, actions and possibilities for 2024. As this is the last year of President Biden’s term as president, those us seeking to exert pressure on the administration to make progress towards the closure of Guantánamo need to do all we can to highlight its many ongoing crimes, including the continued imprisonment of 16 men approved for release, conditions at the prison, and the plight of men released from Guantánamo under “diplomatic assurances” that have often turned out to be worthless.

My report about, and photos from the UK Guantánamo Network’s march and rally for the closure of Guantánamo in London on Saturday (January 20). Dozens of campaigners in orange jumpsuits and hoods marched up Whitehall from the Houses of Parliament to Trafalgar Square, where the rally was held, with speakers including Apsana Begum MP and myself, and afterwards a letter was handed in to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at 10 Downing Street.