For the past year, the London Guantánamo Campaign has maintained a regular presence outside the American Embassy in Mayfair on Friday evenings to protest against the ongoing arbitrary detention, torture and abuse of international law by the American government in Guantánamo Bay. Meeting regularly at 6-7pm outside the entrance to the Embassy come rain or shine, campaigners have held a peaceful vigil against the shameless brutality of a system that has paved the way for human rights abuses elsewhere in the world for the past 6 years under the “war on terror”.

February 8 2008 will mark the first anniversary of our weekly vigils being held. February 2008 will also mark one year since Ahmed Belbacha, an Algerian national who used to live in Bournemouth, will have spent a year in Guantánamo for absolutely no reason; this time last year he was cleared for release by the Americans and deemed to pose no threat. However, he cannot return to his native Algeria due to threats to his life and the British government have refused to allow him to return here claiming that he did not have legal status in the UK. Ahmed has remained in Guantánamo Bay for over a year now, on top of the five years already spent there, for want of a safe country to be released to.

Guest speakers
Open mic for the public
Recitation of poetry by Guantánamo detainees
Reading of the names of the detainees


Come and join us on Friday 8 February for a special 2-hour vigil, from 6-8pm to call on the American and British governments to respect human rights, shut down Guantánamo and repatriate the “Guantánamo refugees” to safe third countries where they will not face further abuse and torture, or even death.

Outside the American Embassy, at the corner of North Audley Street and Upper Brook Street, (nearest tube: Bond Street/Marble Arch), a few minutes south of Oxford Street.

Organised by the London Guantánamo Campaign
Please contact  london_gitmo@yahoo.co.uk or call 07809 757 176
www.guantanamo.org.uk