From the Archive

Hunger Strike Press Release

For Immediate Release: March 26, 2013
Witness Against Torture (www.witnesstorture.org)

Contact: Jeremy Varon, 732-979-3119, jvaron@aol.com; Christopher Knestrick, 216-496-2637, <a href=”cknest11@gmail.com”>cknest11@gmail.com</a>

On Sunday, March 24 human rights activists throughout the United States began a seven day fast and series of actions in solidarity with the men currently on hunger strike at the U.S. prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Dozens of men, according to detainee lawyers, are entering their seventh week of a hunger strike to protest their indefinite detention and a new wave of alleged abuses. The U.S. Navy now reports that three hunger strikers have been hospitalized and that ten are being force fed — a practice condemned by human rights organizations and used in efforts to “break” prior hunger strikes at Guantanamo. Attorneys also report that some hunger strikers have lost consciousness and are experiencing severe drops in body weight.

As Men at Guantánamo Hunger Strike, Human Rights Activists Respond with Fast and Demonstrations

For Immediate Release: March 26, 2013
Witness Against Torture (www.witnesstorture.org)

Hunger Strike Solidarity Fast: Day 2

Guantánamo prisoner hunger strike day 47

“Try and focus on the sunshine brought by the hunger strike to this dark and cold place known as GTMO and not the physical pain.” — Fayiz al-Kandari, Kuwaiti hunger striker

Humiliated in the Shackles (excerpt)

Sami al Haj

Hunger Strike Solidarity Fast: Day 1

Guantánamo prisoner hunger strike day 46

Hello, friends! Love and strength to you all as we come together in spirit this week to be present to our Muslim brothers in Guantánamo. Please take these daily posts — including prisoner writings, activist reflections, and media links — as a way of staying in touch, staying focused, and deepening our commitment to human rights for all.

Hunger Strike – Emergency Response

We will gather for action in New York City, Chicago, Washington, DC, Los Angeles, Des Moines, Western Massachusetts, and other cities domestically and internationally next week to denounce the barbaric practice of torture and indefinite detention and to demand justice for the men at Guantanamo.

Wednesday, March 20th, 6:30 pm – Vigil for Detainees

Wednesday, March 20th, 6:30 pm – Vigil for the Guantanamo Detainees – on the 10th anniversary of the Iraq war this week, we will gather at The White House to pray, remember and speak for our Muslim brothers in Guantanamo, many of whom have been cleared for release but have still not been released due to restrictions our government has subsequently placed on where they can be released and under what conditions. A number of them, having little hope left, are currently undertaking a hunger strike at Guantanamo. (see news articles below)

Resisting Hell on Earth: Hunger Strike at Guantánamo

The facts are stark. More than 100 men on a new hunger strike at Guantánamo, now in its fifth week.

The context is heartbreaking. More than half of the 166 men at Guantánamo have been “Cleared for Release” by U.S. authorities. Not charged with any crime of terrorism or violence, they linger in the prison because of the Obama administration’s and Congress’s callous disregard for their basic legal and human rights.   All inmates at Guantánamo — subjected to routine indignities and abuses — are waiting for real justice: their release when innocent or the chance to plead their case in a legitimate court of law.

Video: 2013 Speakers

Watch a reading of a letter written by former Guantánamo detainee, Omar Deghayes above, and check out the full speakers video page to see hours of footage from Guantánamo expert Andy Worthington, habeus attorneys, and more!

Video: Poems from DC

You can now watch readings of poems written by Guantánamo detainees on our web site, plus two poems from WAT’s own Luke Nephew.

Video: 2013 Actions in DC

You can now watch video from two of our biggest anti-torture actions in Washington, DC this year. The first one shows members of WAT tying 166 ribbons made from shredded orange jumpsuits to the White House fence, and the second one shows our projection of the message “torture is wrong” outside a screening of Zero Dark Thirty.