Former Guantánamo prisoner Omar Deghayes and journalist Andy Worthington will be speaking at Scottish screenings of the documentary Outside Law - Stories from Guantanamo from Monday 22 March to Thursday 25 March
“Outside the Law: Stories from Guantánamo” is a new documentary film, directed by filmmaker Polly Nash and journalist Andy Worthington (author of The Guantánamo Files). The film focuses on the stories of three particular prisoners - Shaker Aamer (who is still held), Binyam Mohamed (released in 2009) and Omar Deghayes (released in 2007) and includes sections on “extraordinary rendition” and secret prisons. The tour coincides with a mounting scandal involving British complicity in torture, which focuses on Shaker Aamer and Binyam Mohamed.
On 10 February, the UK Court of Appeal ordered the release of a summary of documents revealing that US agents had tortured Binyam Mohamed while he was held in Pakistan in 2002, and that the British government knew about it. Foreign secretary David Miliband had tried to suppress this summary for 18 months. MI5’s involvement in Mohamed’s case is now being investigated by the Metropolitan Police, and on 19 February it was revealed that the Met is now investigating claims that Shaker Aamer was tortured in US custody in Afghanistan, while British agents were present.
The British Government, successive Scottish Governments and the police have systematically stonewalled demands for a serious investigation into the use of British (and Scottish) airports in connection with extraordinary rendition.
Shaker Aamer is still being held in solitary confinement at Guantánamo Bay, although there are no charges against him and he has been cleared for release. He is being denied his freedom because the British and US governments are afraid of the stories he might tell.
Each of the Scottish screenings of the film will be followed by a panel discussion with former Guantánamo prisoner Omar Deghayes and journalist Andy Worthington. Andy and Omar will be joined at the Edinburgh and Glasgow screenings on Wednesday 24 March and Thursday 25 March by human rights lawyer Aamer Anwar.
Scottish screenings
Monday March 22, Dundee: 5.30pm, The University of Dundee, University of Dundee, Dalhousie Building, Old Hawkhill/Balfour Street, Dundee, DD1 4HB - organised by Dundee University Students Association.
Tuesday March 23, Aberdeen: 6.00pm, Lecture Theatre Fraser Nobel 1 (FN1), University of Aberdeen, King’s College, Aberdeen, AB24 3FX - organised by Aberdeen University Amnesty International Society
Wednesday March 24: Edinburgh - 7.30pm, Augustine Church, 41 George IV Bridge Edinburgh, EH1 1EL - organised by Scotland Against Criminalising Communities (SACC), supported by Edinburgh Stop the War Coalition
Thursday March 25: Glasgow - 7.30 pm, Adelaides, 209 Bath Street, Glasgow, G2 4HZ - organised by Scotland Against Criminalising Communities (SACC), supported by Glasgow Stop the War Coalition
