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March 10, 2015

Supreme Court Rejects Case of Guantánamo Prisoner Held in "Kafkaesque Nightmare" 
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The Supreme Court has rejected an appeal from a Syrian man who sued the
U.S. government over his seven-year wrongful imprisonment at
Guantánamo. Abdul Rahim Abdul Razak al Janko was detained by the United
States in 2002 after being tortured by al-Qaeda and imprisoned by the
Taliban on suspicion of being a Western spy. In the lawsuit, al Janko
described his time at Guantanamo as a "Kafkaesque nightmare," saying he
was tortured, beaten, subjected to sleep deprivation and urinated on by
U.S. soldiers. He said he attempted suicide 17 times. In 2009, a judge
ordered his release, saying the claim he was part of al-Qaeda "defies
common sense." But on Monday, the Supreme Court left in place a lower
court ruling Janko cannot sue because he is an enemy combatant.
Meanwhile, in a second decision, the court declined to take a case
concerning videos and photographs which, according to the Center for
Constitutional Rights, would prove the torture of another Guantánamo
prisoner, Mohammed al-Qahtani. The move leaves in place a lower court
ruling the images could threaten national security by stoking anti-U.S.
sentiment.

 

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