Welcomed release of Shaker Aamer from Guantanamo

Reprieve welcomes release of Shaker Aamer from Guantanamo 

Commenting, Clive Stafford Smith, Shaker Aamer’s lawyer, said:

"This is great news, albeit about 13 years too late. But they only just gave notice to congress, so that means that without robust intervention Shaker and his family have to wait until October 25th at the earliest for their reunion. The UK must demand of President Obama that he should be on a plane tomorrow, so that Shaker’s family do not have to endure more of the agony of waiting, uncertain every time a phone rings.

British politicians may bombasticate about our ‘robust and effective systems to deal with suspected terrorists’ but Shaker is not and never has been a terrorist, and has been cleared by the Americans themselves for 8 years. I hope the authorities will understand that he has been tortured and abused for more than a decade, and what he wants most is to be left alone with his family to start rebuilding his life."
 
ENDS 

1. For further information, please contact Reprieve’s press office: + 44 (0) 207 553 8161 or in the USA 00 (1) 917 855 8064 

Reprieve welcomes release of Shaker Aamer from Guantanamo 

Commenting, Clive Stafford Smith, Shaker Aamer’s lawyer, said:

"This is great news, albeit about 13 years too late. But they only just gave notice to congress, so that means that without robust intervention Shaker and his family have to wait until October 25th at the earliest for their reunion. The UK must demand of President Obama that he should be on a plane tomorrow, so that Shaker’s family do not have to endure more of the agony of waiting, uncertain every time a phone rings.

British politicians may bombasticate about our ‘robust and effective systems to deal with suspected terrorists’ but Shaker is not and never has been a terrorist, and has been cleared by the Americans themselves for 8 years. I hope the authorities will understand that he has been tortured and abused for more than a decade, and what he wants most is to be left alone with his family to start rebuilding his life."
 
ENDS 

1. For further information, please contact Reprieve’s press office: + 44 (0) 207 553 8161 or in the USA 00 (1) 917 855 8064