In December of each year, people around the world mark international human rights day. Since September 11th 2001, our civil liberties and human rights have been washed away.



Over 500 brothers are being detained indefinitely in Guantanamo Bay without any legal process and in the most inhumane conditions. Since 2002, hundreds of Guantanamo detainee have gone on hunger strikes in a desperate attempt to seek fair trials, freedom from religious abuses, an end to physical and psychological abuses and to demand adequate food and water. Hunger Strikes are the most desperate and final form of protest available to prisoners. A recent report (Sept 2005) by the Centre for Constitutional Rights in America highlighted that conditions in Guantanamo were so bad that prisoners ‘were now prepared to die in an effort to receive fair hearings and humane treatment’.




Omar Degahyes, a 35 yr old from Brighton is one of a number of detainees on hunger strike. A Libyan refugee and married with a 3yr old son, Omar had studied law and intended to be human rights lawyer. Omar explained why they were taking such desperate action: ‘we are dying a slow death here and you have to remember that we have not been charged with any crime’. Having been held in Guantanamo for 3yrs, Omar has been left blinded in one eye by a Guantanamo prison guard.


Guantanamo Bay is one of a number of secret prisons that America is operating and using to scoop up thousands of people around the world in its ‘war on terror’. Since its war of occupation in Afghanistan and Iraq, thousands of innocent civilians are being held and tortured by America with support from its ally-Britain.


In Britain, Blair continues to generate fear about the ‘terrorist threat within’ to further do away with our civil liberties and human rights. Whilst he failed to lock people up for 90 days under new anti-terrorism proposals, a number of people have been arrested under anti-terrorism legalisation and languish in British prisons without charge or fair trial.


We can no longer sit and wait for all our human rights to be taken away from us. We cannot let innocent people die in prisons in Guantanamo, Iraq, Britain or other parts of the world.
We must stand up for fair trails, humane treatment and defend all human rights and civil liberties.


Come to the meeting and join the vigil. Support Birmingham Guantanamo Campaign. Stand up and be counted before it too late.