Hafsah
09-09-05, 08:15 AM
Omar Deghayes is a 35 year old Libyan man who has lived just outside Brighton since 1987. His family fled Libya when his father, a trade unionist, was assassinated by the Libyan regime. He was educated in this country and is married with a young son.
In 2002, he was sent to Guantanamo Bay from Pakistan, where he was arrested (Pakistan was NOT involved in the war between the USA and Afghanistan) and has been held as "an enemy combatant" ever since...3 years and counting!
There have been allegations that Omar has been tortured while detained at Guantanamo and has been subjected to many types of deprivation and torture. He was blinded in one eye in an attack by a US guard. He is currently involved in the hunger strike being undertaken by hundreds of internees at Guantanamo (http://www.guardian.co.uk/guantanamo/story/0,13743,1566197,00.html (http://www.guardian.co.uk/guantanamo/story/0,13743,1566197,00.html)). The hunger strike is in its fifth week and does not appear to be reaching an end.
The British government has done nothing thus far to help Omar Deghayes and has also not replied to letters from his lawyer on various occasions. His family's greatest fear is that he could be sent to Libya as opposed to be being returned to this country - a violation of the Geneva Convention, given that he is a refugee.
What can you do to help?
Brighton MP, Desmond Turner, has written an Early Day Motion condemning Guantanamo Bay and calling for the release of Omar Deghayes and his return to Brighton. PLEASE lobby your MP to support this parliamentary motion (29 signatures thus far). You can get a lobby pack from louise@dlsnc.freeserve.co.uk (louise@dlsnc.freeserve.co.uk) You can write or email your MP. Points to mention are:
- Omar is not an enemy combatant as he was never involved in the fighting and was detained 100s of miles away from the war zone
- Detention in Guantanamo Bay is illegal under international human rights law as confirmed by the UN and the US legal system itself
- Under the Geneva Convention, the British government has an obligation to protect Omar and not to allow him to return to a country where he could face violations to his human rights (Libya)
- Omar has been subjected to torture
You don't have to make your letter long, just to the point. You can check here if your MP has already signed the Early Day Motion: http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=28763&SESSION=875 (http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=28763&SESSION=875)
Please support Omar!
You can find out more about his case at:
www.save-omar.org.uk (http://www.save-omar.org.uk/)
http://www.amnestyusa.org/waronterror/document.do?id=6513714C467AC242802570130052CF0F (http://www.amnestyusa.org/waronterror/document.do?id=6513714C467AC242802570130052CF0F)
www.amnesty.org (http://www.amnesty.org/)
www.cacc.org.uk (http://www.cacc.org.uk/)
www.hrw.org (http://www.hrw.org/)
http://www.liberty-human-rights.org.uk/
In 2002, he was sent to Guantanamo Bay from Pakistan, where he was arrested (Pakistan was NOT involved in the war between the USA and Afghanistan) and has been held as "an enemy combatant" ever since...3 years and counting!
There have been allegations that Omar has been tortured while detained at Guantanamo and has been subjected to many types of deprivation and torture. He was blinded in one eye in an attack by a US guard. He is currently involved in the hunger strike being undertaken by hundreds of internees at Guantanamo (http://www.guardian.co.uk/guantanamo/story/0,13743,1566197,00.html (http://www.guardian.co.uk/guantanamo/story/0,13743,1566197,00.html)). The hunger strike is in its fifth week and does not appear to be reaching an end.
The British government has done nothing thus far to help Omar Deghayes and has also not replied to letters from his lawyer on various occasions. His family's greatest fear is that he could be sent to Libya as opposed to be being returned to this country - a violation of the Geneva Convention, given that he is a refugee.
What can you do to help?
Brighton MP, Desmond Turner, has written an Early Day Motion condemning Guantanamo Bay and calling for the release of Omar Deghayes and his return to Brighton. PLEASE lobby your MP to support this parliamentary motion (29 signatures thus far). You can get a lobby pack from louise@dlsnc.freeserve.co.uk (louise@dlsnc.freeserve.co.uk) You can write or email your MP. Points to mention are:
- Omar is not an enemy combatant as he was never involved in the fighting and was detained 100s of miles away from the war zone
- Detention in Guantanamo Bay is illegal under international human rights law as confirmed by the UN and the US legal system itself
- Under the Geneva Convention, the British government has an obligation to protect Omar and not to allow him to return to a country where he could face violations to his human rights (Libya)
- Omar has been subjected to torture
You don't have to make your letter long, just to the point. You can check here if your MP has already signed the Early Day Motion: http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=28763&SESSION=875 (http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=28763&SESSION=875)
Please support Omar!
You can find out more about his case at:
www.save-omar.org.uk (http://www.save-omar.org.uk/)
http://www.amnestyusa.org/waronterror/document.do?id=6513714C467AC242802570130052CF0F (http://www.amnestyusa.org/waronterror/document.do?id=6513714C467AC242802570130052CF0F)
www.amnesty.org (http://www.amnesty.org/)
www.cacc.org.uk (http://www.cacc.org.uk/)
www.hrw.org (http://www.hrw.org/)
http://www.liberty-human-rights.org.uk/