U.S. judge orders release of Guantanamo videotapes

A federal judge on Friday ordered the public release of 28 videotapes of a hunger-striking Guantanamo Bay prisoner being forcibly removed from his cell and force-fed. Numerous news media outlets had asked the court on June 20 to unseal the videotapes, which are classified “secret”. The 28 videos show a “forcible extraction team” putting a feeding tube up the nose of Abu Wa’el Dhiab then force-feeding him, one of his lawyers, Eric Lewis, said.

There are procedures in place that cause unnecessary pain, are not related to any legitimate security objective and there are ready alternatives that can allow it to be done in a more humane and less painful manner.

Eric Lewis, Abu Wa’el Dhiab’s lawyer

Dhiab, a Syrian national held since 2002, was cleared for release in 2009 but has remained at the US naval base in Cuba for more than a decade without charge or trial. He is suing the Obama administration in a bid to stop force-feeding for hunger strikers, saying the practice is inhumane. The case is set to be heard Monday in Kessler’s court in Washington. Kessler, appointed by Bill Clinton, also ruled against the government on Thursday, when she denied a government request to close proceedings to the public. The US Justice Department said it was “reviewing the decision” and “considering options”.

Americas guantanamo