New hope for UK Guantanamo family

By Nigel Pankhurst
BBC News

The family of British resident Omar Deghayes have long campaigned for him to be freed from the US detention camp at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba.

The release of Bisher al-Rawi, also a resident of the UK, has given them fresh hope.

Omar Deghayes' family have had much support in their campaign

Omar Deghayes was arrested by Pakistani authorities in Lahore as he fled Afghanistan at the outbreak of war in 2002 to return to the UK.

Libyan-born refugee Mr Deghayes, 37, from Brighton, had been touring various Muslim countries after finishing his law degree in the UK and was with his Afghan wife and newborn son when he was arrested.

He was imprisoned at Bagram in Afghanistan before being taken to Guantanamo. At first his family had no idea what was happening.

Mr Deghayes brother, Abubaker, said: "He was missing for a while and we didn't know what had happened to him until we got a card from the Red Cross saying that he was at Guantanamo Bay.

"We contacted the government and the American embassy but there was no answer until after a couple of years.

"A group of lawyers then won a court case in the US to have access to prisoners at Guantanamo.

"There's no direct contact at all. He's not allowed any phone calls and no visitors, no rights at all."

'Torture and isolation'

Abubaker says his brother is living in inhumane conditions in Guantanamo.

"I think it's a tragic, terrible situation. For five years he has been suffering physical and mental torture and isolation," he said.

We're determined. We have no option. We have to relieve the suffering of my brother and others Abubaker Deghayes

"Our government here or the Americans should try them or release them. If they have done something wrong they should be tried. If not they should be released.

"Through a lawyer we are able to understand something of the situation he is in. I know Omar has been treated very badly there and that he's lost an eye.

"He's in Camp Five, which is maximum security. He's in isolation 22 hours a day, and the lights are on 24 hours a day. The food is dirty and has insects in it."

Website created

The campaign to release Mr Deghayes got into full swing three years ago when lawyer Clive Stafford Smith from human rights charity Reprieve visited the family in Brighton along with other groups such as Amnesty.

A website - www.save-omar.org.uk - has been set up, Brighton Council has passed a resolution calling for his release, the family's MP has tabled an Early Day Motion in the Commons and they have the support of the local newspaper, the Argus.

The family have been to the American embassy in London and the US's European mission in Brussels but with little to show.

They met the first-secretary at the London embassy and he passed on their message to Washington, but they have had no response.

Cuba visit

Abubaker said: "Omar doesn't even know why he's there. They don't tell us why he's being held or what he's supposed to have done.

"It's frustrating because we can't see any end to it. There's a lack of communication and there's no sense to it.

Bisher al-Rawi was released after almost five years at Guantanamo UK Guantanamo man released

"Members of the family have been to Cuba. They went as close as they can go to Guantanamo and the compound there and put a request to the guards to visit him. They were just told to go away."

They are among the families who have tried for a judicial review of the British government's position that they will not represent the cases of Guantanamo prisoners who are British residents but not British citizens.

The case has failed in the High Court and Court of Appeal, but they are taking it to the House of Lords.

'Right to court'

Abubaker says the release of businessman Bisher al-Rawi, from south-west London, is a boost for the campaign to free Mr Deghayes.

"Anybody being let out of there is good news and gives us hope," said Abubaker.

"I think once he's settled and he's back to his normal life and home I'm sure he'll be out campaigning for the others, which helps the cause.

"I'm sure we will meet up with him. I think he's already said that he wants to campaign for the others to come home."

Mr Deghayes' family have no doubt about his innocence, but their concern is that he has been denied a trial for five years.

Abubaker said: "I'm convinced of my brother's innocence. If someone has done something it's their right to be tried. It's wrong they've imprisoned someone for five years. Innocence is not the point. It's a person's right to court.

"We're determined. We have no option. We have to relieve the suffering of my brother and others."