Released from the Free World: Sami Al Haj, the Al Jazeera cameraman recounts the six years of hell he spent in Guantanamo. Sami Al Haj, a Sudanese cameraman of Al Jazeera Channel, for more than six years, was detained and tortured in the American military camp of Guantanamo Bay. After years of arbitrary detention and inhuman treatment, Sami Al Haj was released without any trial. The Pentagon did not comment on his release. Sami Al Haj walks today with a cane, result of the mistreatment undergone during his detention. With a stuttering elocution and eyes that shine -with the light of a dawn of which the dark night is not yet completely gone-, he tells his suffering and the cause which he has adopted from now on : the defence of human rights.
Sami El Haj: six years of hell in Guantanamo. Photos and Interview ŠSylvain Savolainen/LigthMediation Contact - Thierry Tinacci - LightMediation Photo Agency +33 (0)6 61 80 57 21 thierry@lightmediation.com
1957-11: Sami El Haj at Geneva's mosque during Friday's prayer. From December 2001 to May 2008, Sami El Haj, cameraman for Al Jazeera, was held in extrajudicial detention for more than 6 years by the US army. For 6 years he was held as an "enemy combatant" at the Guantanamo Bay detainment camp, with Internee Security Number 345, and was the only journalist to be held in Guantanamo. He was released on 1st of May, 2008. The need of a walking-stick is the aftermath of his treatment in detention. One and a half month after his release, Samil El Haj came to Geneva to raise awareness about the excesses of the "war against terrorism" and to recall the need to respect human rights in all circumstances.
Sami El Haj, six ans d'enfer a Guantanamo - Sami El Haj, the six years of hell in Guantanamo / 1957-01: From December 2001 to May 2008, Sami El Haj, cameraman for Al Jazeera, was held in extrajudicial
Sami El Haj, six ans d'enfer a Guantanamo - Sami El Haj, the six years of hell in Guantanamo / 1957-02: From December 2001 to May 2008, Sami El Haj, cameraman for Al Jazeera, was held in extrajudicial
Sami El Haj, six ans d'enfer a Guantanamo - Sami El Haj, the six years of hell in Guantanamo / 1957-03: From December 2001 to May 2008, Sami El Haj, cameraman for Al Jazeera, was held in extrajudicial
Sami El Haj, six ans d'enfer a Guantanamo - Sami El Haj, the six years of hell in Guantanamo / 1957-04: From December 2001 to May 2008, Sami El Haj, cameraman for Al Jazeera, was held in extrajudicial
1957-15: Shortly after his release, Sami El Haj, met at the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva, Mr Manfred Nowak, United Nations Special Rapporteur on torture. Mr Nowak was denied access to Guantanamo camps by the US authorities.
Sami El Haj, six ans d'enfer a Guantanamo - Sami El Haj, the six years of hell in Guantanamo / 1957-05: From December 2001 to May 2008, Sami El Haj, cameraman for Al Jazeera, was held in extrajudicial
Sami El Haj, six ans d'enfer a Guantanamo - Sami El Haj, the six years of hell in Guantanamo / 1957-06: From December 2001 to May 2008, Sami El Haj, cameraman for Al Jazeera, was held in extrajudicial
Sami El Haj, six ans d'enfer a Guantanamo - Sami El Haj, the six years of hell in Guantanamo / 1957-07: From December 2001 to May 2008, Sami El Haj, cameraman for Al Jazeera, was held in extrajudicial
Sami El Haj, six ans d'enfer a Guantanamo - Sami El Haj, the six years of hell in Guantanamo / 1957-08: From December 2001 to May 2008, Sami El Haj, cameraman for Al Jazeera, was held in extrajudicial
1957-18: Sami El Haj being interviewed and filmed by a crew of Amnesty International. From December 2001 to May 2008, Sami El Haj, cameraman for Al Jazeera, was held in extrajudicial detention for more than 6 years by the US army.
Sami El Haj, six ans d'enfer a Guantanamo - Sami El Haj, the six years of hell in Guantanamo / 1957-09: Sami El Haj at Geneva's mosque during Friday's prayer.
Sami El Haj, six ans d'enfer a Guantanamo - Sami El Haj, the six years of hell in Guantanamo / 1957-10:Sami El Haj at Geneva's mosque during Friday's prayer.
Sami El Haj, six ans d'enfer a Guantanamo - Sami El Haj, the six years of hell in Guantanamo / 1957-11: Sami El Haj at Geneva's mosque during Friday's prayer.
Sami El Haj, six ans d'enfer a Guantanamo - Sami El Haj, the six years of hell in Guantanamo / 1957-12: Sami El Haj at Geneva's mosque during Friday's prayer.
1957-01: From December 2001 to May 2008, Sami El Haj, cameraman for Al Jazeera, was held in extrajudicial detention for more than 6 years by the US army. For 6 years he was held as an "enemy
1957-08: From December 2001 to May 2008, Sami El Haj, cameraman for Al Jazeera, was held in extrajudicial detention for more than 6 years by the US army. For 6 years he was held as an "enemy
Sami El Haj, six ans d'enfer a Guantanamo - Sami El Haj, the six years of hell in Guantanamo / 1957-13: Sami El Haj at Geneva's mosque during Friday's prayer.
Sami El Haj, six ans d'enfer a Guantanamo - Sami El Haj, the six years of hell in Guantanamo / 1957-14: Sami El Haj at Geneva's mosque during Friday's prayer.
1957-26: One and a half month after his release, Samil El Haj came to Geneva to raise awareness about the excesses of the "war against terrorism" and to recall the need to respect human rights in all
Sami El Haj, six ans d'enfer a Guantanamo - Sami El Haj, the six years of hell in Guantanamo / 1957-16: Shortly after his release, Sami El Haj, met at the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in
1957-10:Sami El Haj at Geneva's mosque during Friday's prayer. From December 2001 to May 2008, Sami El Haj, cameraman for Al Jazeera, was held in extrajudicial detention for more than 6 years by the US army. For 6 years he was held as an "enemy combatant" at the Guantanamo Bay detainment camp, with Internee Security Number 345, and was the only journalist to be held in Guantanamo. He was released on 1st of May, 2008. The need of a walking-stick is the aftermath of his treatment in detention. One and a half month after his release, Samil El Haj came to Geneva to raise awareness about the excesses of the "war against terrorism" and to recall the need to respect human rights in all circumstances.
Sami El Haj, six ans d'enfer a Guantanamo - Sami El Haj, the six years of hell in Guantanamo / 1957-17: Sami El Haj being interviewed and filmed by a crew from Amnesty International.
1957-25: One and a half month after his release, invited by NGO Alkarama, Samil El Haj gave a talk at the International Conference Center of Geneva Center to raise awareness about the excesses of the "war
Sami El Haj, six ans d'enfer a Guantanamo - Sami El Haj, the six years of hell in Guantanamo / 1957-19: One and a half month after his release, invited by NGO Alkarama, Samil El Haj gave a talk at the
Sami El Haj, six ans d'enfer a Guantanamo - Sami El Haj, the six years of hell in Guantanamo / 1957-20: One and a half month after his release, invited by NGO Alkarama, Samil El Haj gave a talk at the
1957-07: From December 2001 to May 2008, Sami El Haj, cameraman for Al Jazeera, was held in extrajudicial detention for more than 6 years by the US army. For 6 years he was held as an "enemy combatant" at the Guantanamo Bay detainment camp, with Internee Security Number 345, and was the only journalist to be held in Guantanamo. He was released on 1st of May, 2008. The need of a walking-stick is the aftermath of his treatment in detention. One and a half month after his release, Samil El Haj came to Geneva to raise awareness about the excesses of the "war against terrorism" and to recall the need to respect human rights in all circumstances.
Sami El Haj, six ans d'enfer a Guantanamo - Sami El Haj, the six years of hell in Guantanamo / 1957-21: One and a half month after his release, invited by NGO Alkarama, Samil El Haj gave a talk at the
Sami El Haj, six ans d'enfer a Guantanamo - Sami El Haj, the six years of hell in Guantanamo / 1957-22: One and a half month after his release, invited by NGO Alkarama, Samil El Haj gave a talk at the
Sami El Haj, six ans d'enfer a Guantanamo - Sami El Haj, the six years of hell in Guantanamo / 1957-23: One and a half month after his release, invited by NGO Alkarama, Samil El Haj gave a talk at the
Sami El Haj, six ans d'enfer a Guantanamo - Sami El Haj, the six years of hell in Guantanamo / 1957-24: One and a half month after his release, invited by NGO Alkarama, Samil El Haj gave a talk at the
Synopsis. Context and foreword: - The trial of Osama bin Laden's former driver, Salim Hamdan, begins, Monday July 21, 2008, before a court of exception in the U.S. base of Guantanamo. - Barack Obama, the Democrate candidate to the presidency of the United States starts on July 20, 2008, an international tour which will take him in Afghanistan, in Iraq, in the Middle East and in Europe. - On July 2, 2008, after being held more than six years by the FARC, Ingrid Betancourt was freed along with fourteen other hostages. Beside the Franco-Colombian, three American US military contractors and eleven Colombian soldiers. The political heads of various states made a point of noting the event; the international media covered this release extensively. SYNOPSIS On May 1, 2008, Sami Al Haj, a Sudanese cameraman of Al Jazeera Channel, was also released. During the same period, and also for more than six years, he was detained and tortured in the American military camp of Guantanamo Bay. Captured while working for Al Jazeera, from December 2001 to May 2008, Sami Al Haj was illegally detained by the US army as an "enemy combatant", initially in Afghanistan, and then in Cuba. Sami Al Haj was the only journalist imprisoned in Guantanamo. He testifies that the US forces blackmailed him - under torture - to spy on Al Jazeera channel.
After years of arbitrary detention and inhuman treatment, Sami Al Haj was released without any trial. The Pentagon did not comment on his release. At the same time, on June 12, 2008, the US Supreme Court has just recognized the right of the prisoners of Guantanamo to contest the legality of their detention in federal courts under the terms of the habeas corpus legislation. Sami Al Haj walks today with a cane, result of the mistreatment undergone during his detention. With a stuttering elocution and eyes that shine -with the light of a dawn of which the dark night is not yet completely gone-, he tells his suffering and the cause which he has adopted from now on : the defence of human rights. The report proposed here is rare. Three long interviews presenting two angles are enlighting : - After six and a half years of detention, Sami Al Haj recounts the inside story of the situation lived by the prisoners in Guantanamo Bay and of the ill effects of the "war on terror". He reports on the blackmail exerted by the American troops that wanted him to spy on Al Jazeera channel. The journalist tells of his hunger strike and how the jailers broke him down. A short time after his release, Sami Al Haj came to Geneva for a few days to meet the Office of the United Nations High Commission on human rights, diplomats, and NGOs Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International. He announced his new commitment: respect for human rights in all circumstances. - At the same time, Joanne Mariner, director of the terrorism and counter-terrorism program of Human
Rights Watch, and Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch, comment on, analyze and put into perspective the "war on terror" and the human rights situation in this context. An ongoing issue, as there are still 270 prisoners in Guantanamo, and according to Amnesty International, in 2007, 70,000 prisoners were held offshore by the United States, of which a good number are in secret prisons or on boats as admitted by the Pentagon.
Captions. 1957-01-02-03-04-05-06: From December 2001 to May 2008, Sami El Haj, cameraman for Al Jazeera, was held in extrajudicial detention for more than 6 years by the US army. For 6 years he was held as an "enemy combatant" at the Guantanamo Bay detainment camp, with Internee Security Number 345, and was the only journalist to be held in Guantanamo. He was released on 1st of May, 2008. The need of a walking-stick is the aftermath of his treatment in detention. One and a half month after his release, Samil El Haj came to Geneva to raise awareness about the excesses of the "war against terrorism" and to recall the need to respect human rights in all circumstances. 1957-07-08: From December 2001 to May 2008, Sami El Haj, cameraman for Al Jazeera, was held in extrajudicial detention for more than 6 years by the US army. For 6 years he was held as an "enemy combatant" at the Guantanamo Bay detainment camp, with Internee Security Number 345, and was the only journalist to be held in Guantanamo. He was released on 1st of May, 2008. The need of a walking-stick is the aftermath of his treatment in detention. One and a half month after his release, Samil El Haj came to Geneva to raise awareness about the excesses of the "war against terrorism" and to recall the need to respect human rights in all circumstances. 1957-09-10-11-12-13-14: Sami El Haj at Geneva's mosque during Friday's prayer. From December 2001 to May 2008, Sami El Haj, cameraman for Al Jazeera, was held in extrajudicial detention for more than 6 years by the US army. For 6 years
he was held as an "enemy combatant" at the Guantanamo Bay detainment camp, with Internee Security Number 345, and was the only journalist to be held in Guantanamo. He was released on 1st of May, 2008. The need of a walking-stick is the aftermath of his treatment in detention. One and a half month after his release, Samil El Haj came to Geneva to raise awareness about the excesses of the "war against terrorism" and to recall the need to respect human rights in all circumstances. 1957-15-16: Shortly after his release, Sami El Haj, met at the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva, Mr Manfred Nowak, United Nations Special Rapporteur on torture. Mr Nowak was denied access to Guantanamo camps by the US authorities. 1957-17-18: Sami El Haj being interviewed and filmed by a crew from Amnesty International. From December 2001 to May 2008, Sami El Haj, cameraman for Al Jazeera, was held in extrajudicial detention for more than 6 years by the US army. 1957-19-20-21-22-23-24-25-26: One and a half month after his release, invited by NGO Alkarama, Samil El Haj gave a talk at the International Conference Center of Geneva Center to raise awareness about the excesses of the "war against terrorism" and to recall the need to respect human rights in all circumstances.