US Censoring Letters Written By Children (to Guantanamo detainee)

[Lori Price CLG]

US Censoring Letters Written By Children

Letters written by the children of a Bahraini detainee at Guantanamo Bay were censored by US forces before being delivered to him.

It has prompted accusations from his lawyers that there are not enough checks on the power being exercised by his American captors.

Detainee Essa Al Murbati showed the letters to his attorney during a visit to the high security prison last month.

"He explained to me that the letters were from his children, but were censored by the US forces before they were given to him," lawyer Joshua Colangelo-Bryan told the GDN.

<snip>

Lori Price

[Voltaire99]

1. Fascism...

...does not brake for children.

[DulceDecorum]

2. Meanwhile,

Belinda du Toit is close to tears when she describes the letter she received from her mercenary husband Nick a few days ago, sent from inside Equatorial Guinea's notorious Black Beach prison, where he is held for his role in a coup plot.
<snip>
Although Amnesty International is a strong opponent of mercenary groups, it has taken up the case of du Toit and his colleagues as it believes that they have the same rights as any other individual not to be subjected to torture, to enjoy a fair trial and not to be abused in prison.
Amnesty International UK campaigns director Stephen Bowen said: 'Such near starvation, lack of medical attention and appalling prison conditions are nothing short of a slow, lingering death sentence for these prisoners.
'The authorities must provide food and medicine immediately and grant access to international monitors.
'Unless immediate action is taken,' Bowen added, 'many of those detained at Black Beach prison will die.'
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,6903,1461650,00.html

And now, back to Guantanamo Bay.

[Benson]

3. Its a military prison. And he is a prisoner. So Whats New?

Agree with Gitmo or not, there is nothing new about this. ALL military prisoners have censored mail.

[Judi Lynn]

4. Stupid and cruel.

First letter:

In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate,

Peace, mercy and the blessing of Allah be upon you.

(Censored)... I hope with all my heart that you are a thousand times well. We are well, thanks to Allah, and happy. But we are missing one thing and that's you. We want you to be sitting with us, eating dinner... (censored)... laughing and being happy.

(Two lines censored)....

Thirdly, I memorised Part A'am (in the Quran) and I was honoured at the mosque in front of worshippers and in front of my uncles. God willing, I will memorise the entire Holy Quran and raise your head high and... (two lines censored)...

Your loving eldest son,

Ali Al Murbati
(snip)

Lawyers acting on behalf of the Bahraini detainees, who have been held without charge for over three years, maintain the allegations against them do not justify their detention.

They are disputing their classification as "enemy combatants" and say no substantial evidence has been put forward to support the allegations.
(snip)

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The world has been hijacked by right-wing greedy, violent fools. Everyone knows it, even right-wingers who think greed and violence are noble expressions applied against poorer people who would try to take their stuff if they didn't kill them first!