PAPER CHASE NEWSBURSTDigest RSS feedFull RSS feed
Serious law. Primary sources. Global perspective.


Tuesday, September 13, 2005

Gitmo hunger strike gains momentum
Sara R. Parsowith at 7:58 AM ET

[JURIST] The number of detainees on a hunger strike at the Guantanamo Bay [JURIST news archive] terror detention camp has increased to at least 128, a US military spokesman said Monday. Eighteen detainees are being force-fed intravenously as the hunger strike enters its second month [JURIST report] and are reported to be in serious physical danger. An earlier hunger strike in June and July ended once a number of detainees were promised that their living quarters would improve [JURIST report] in line with the Geneva Conventions [ICRC backgrounder]. The detainees are refusing food to protest their long imprisonment without charges, lack of due process and beatings received by military personnel. Most claim that they were captured by mistake by US forces. Lawyers for the prisoners say that over 200 detainees are currently refusing food, and report that some of their clients have vowed to die, with many already having been taken to hospital. Maj. Jeffrey J. Weir said that accounts are exaggerated, and that there are no detainees in danger of dying because of the military's force-feeding treatment. Weir did not acknowledge that the detainees were protesting poor conditions or beatings and said that it is his understanding that the detainees are merely trying to call attention to their "continued detention." Last week, a federal appeals court suggested that US courts might review military tribunal determinations [JURIST report] that Gitmo detainees are "enemy combatants" subject to indefinite detention without charge Tuesday's Washington Post has more.






Link | |  | print | subscribe | RSS feeds | latest newscast | Facebook page

For more legal news check the Paper Chase Archive...


LATEST LEGAL NEWS

 UK High Court bans prayer at town council meetings
4:29 PM ET, February 12

 Malaysia deports Saudi Arabia reporter facing death penalty
3:27 PM ET, February 12

 Utah court will allow execution by firing squad
11:50 AM ET, February 12

 click for more...

Get JURIST legal news delivered daily to your e-mail!

LATEST FORUM

Hungary and Mexico's Constitutional Parallels
FOREIGN
Kevin Govern
Ave Maria School of Law

ABOUT

Paper Chase is JURIST's real-time legal news service, powered by a team of 30 law student reporters and editors led by law professor Bernard Hibbitts at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. As an educational service, Paper Chase is dedicated to presenting important legal news and materials rapidly, objectively and intelligibly in an accessible, ad-free format.

CONTACT

Paper Chase welcomes comments, tips and URLs from readers. E-mail us at JURIST@pitt.edu