Mohamedou Ould Slahi

A cross-post of a detailed article about Guantánamo activism over the last 12 years, from President Obama’s eight years in office, through the four lamentable years of Donald Trump, to the current hopes pinned on President Biden. Written by Jeremy Varon of Witness Against Torture, it was originally published on the Waging Nonviolence website.

My review of “The Mauritanian,” the film based on the best-selling memoir “Guantánamo Diary” by Mohamedou Ould Slahi, who, based on nothing more than suspicion, was subjected to a horrendous torture program at Guantánamo in 2003, and, despite the case against him collapsing, wasn’t released until 2016.

A cross-post, with my own introduction, of an open letter to President Biden, urging him to close Guantánamo, which was written by seven former prisoners who are also authors: Mansoor Adayfi, Moazzam Begg, Lakhdar Boumediene, Sami Al Hajj, Ahmed Errachidi, Mohamedou Ould Slahi and Moussa Zemmouri.

Here’s the video of, and a discussion of, an online Guantánamo meeting on January 11, 2021, the 19th anniversary of the opening of the prison, featuring guest speakers Mohamedou Ould Salahi and myself, and hosted by the Lewes Amnesty Group.

Monday January 11 marks the 19th anniversary of the opening of the prison at Guantánamo Bay, and unfortunately, because of Covid, the annual vigil outside the White House has been called off, as has my annual visit. However, various online events are taking place instead, which are listed here.

In my latest article, I follow up on a recent article about former Guantánamo prisoner Mohamedou Ould Salahi for Middle East Eye by Amandla Thomas-Johnson, who visited him in Mauritania. I focus in particular on Salahi’s belief in the importance of forgiveness, which is always extraordinarily powerful when it comes from people who have been subjected to appalling treatment.

A cross-post, with my own introduction, of a compelling and very detailed New Yorker article by Ben Taub about former Guantánamo prisoner, torture victim and best-selling author Mohamedou Ould Salahi and his guard Steve Wood.

As Mohamedou Ould Slahi, former Guantánamo prisoner, torture victim and best-selling author, is denied a passport by his home government in Mauritania, I look at how all former prisoners — “enemy combatants” — are fundamentally deprived of rights as “un-people” by the US, and call for this situation to change.

Please support my work as a reader-funded journalist! I’m currently trying to raise $2500 (£2000) to support my writing and campaigning on Guantánamo and related issues over the next three months of the Trump administration. If you can help, please click on the button below to donate via PayPal.   It’s now over two weeks […]

Please support my work as a reader-funded journalist! I’m currently trying to raise $2500 (£2000) to support my writing and campaigning on Guantánamo and related issues over the next three months of the Trump administration.   Exactly ten years ago, I was briefly working for the human rights organization Reprieve, when a wonderful ruling came […]