[Bloquez l'empire!] Victory for hunger-strikers at Guantanamo North

[mary foster]

Press Release

Hunger-strike ends in victory for detainees
Media still denied access to Guantanamo North prisoners

Kingston, 28 June 2006 -- The three men hunger-striking for slightly
improved conditions at the new "Guantanamo North" prison at Kingston claimed
victory Monday, as authorities made concessions on the two central demands
of Mohammad Mahjoub, Hassan Almrei and Mahmoud Jaballah - greater telephone
access and access to a canteen. The three men enjoyed their first meal
Monday afternoon since 23 May (for Jaballah and Mahjoub) and since mid-May
for Almrei.

"I would say the men were not asking for much," said Mona El Fouli, who is
married to Mohammad Mahjoub. "I have to tell you the truth: I am not a fan
of hunger-strikes, and I do not advise my husband to go on hungerstrike. But
I am not in his place, I am not being treated the way he is. I found out
through the years that this is the only way that they can try to reach
others."

The change of heart on the part of authorities came during a Canada-wide day
of action to close the new prison, part of the international day against
torture. It also came 48-hours before a legal challenge to the prison
conditions will be heard in Federal Court. The Court challenge will go ahead
today, and will challenge other issues about the conditions of detention,
including the complete ban on media access to the prisoners.

The prisoners were transferred from Toronto's Metro West Detention Centre to
the specially built facility - a classroom portable on the grounds of
Millhaven Federal Penitentiary - on 23 April 2006, with promises of improved
conditions. Instead, the men found themselves practically cut off from
families and lawyers, denied all access to media, with no programming, no
canteen, and smaller cells. The fact that the prison represents a
significant investment and thus signals Canada's intention to maintain its
policies on "security certificates" has had a serious negative impact on
their morale.

Mr. Mahjoub has been detained without trial under secret suspicions since
June 2000. He is a survivor of torture who was accepted as a convention
refugee before being arrested without charge; he was on hunger-strike for 79
days in summer 2005. Mr. Jaballah is a survivor of torture who came to
Canada with his wife and children to seek a peaceful life. He has been
detained since August 2001 on his second security certificate. Mr. Almrei
has been on hunger-strike several times since his arrest without charge in
October 2001, for 73 days in summer of 2005. Two other men have been
released under virtual house arrest: Adil Charkaoui in Montreal and Mohamed
Harkat in Ottawa. A sixth man, Sogi Bachan Singh, has been detained under
another section of the Immigration Act which establishes a procedure similar
in many respects to the security certificate; Mr. Singh is facing
deportation to torture within the coming days.

The Supreme Court of Canada is considering three constitutional challenges
to the security certificate process, and is expected to make their decision
within half a year. In the meantime, Parliamentarians recommenced a review
of the legislation which began under the previous government. They can act
to address the situation at any time.



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More information and to set up interviews with family members in Toronto:
416 651 5800



Source: Hunger strike support committee, tel. 514 859 9023,
abolissons at gmail.com