Yesterday in Sanaa, Yemen, activists & relatives of about 90 Yemeni detainees held photos of their relatives & demanded their release from Guantanamo Bay prison during a protest at the US embassy. Most of the Yemeni prisoners were arrested in Afghanistan after the 2001 US invasion--probably for being in the wrong place at the wrong time--& are the largest national contingent of the 166 detainees held in Guantanamo.
Two of the Yemeni prisoners are among the 33 Guantanamo prisoners currently on a hunger strike which began February 6th to protest intrusive cell searches as well as their incarceration without due process. Seven suicides have taken place, including that of a 32-year-old Yemeni in September who had been held there for around 10 years.
Although lesser evil Obama pledged to close Guantanamo when he campaigned for office, the US claims they cannot now repatriate Yemenis because the political situation in the country is too unstable to prevent former prisoners from getting involved in militant activities. Guantanamo prison is trying to break the hunger strike by denying water & cranking up the air conditioning to frigid. So much for that lesser evil crap!
(Photo by Hani Mohammed)
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