Al-Jazeera Cameraman Freed from Guantanamo
Sami Al Hajj, the Al Jazeera Camerman has been finally freed after years of detention and torture at Guantanamo Bay.
He has been on Hunger Strike for the past 16 months protesting against being held without trial or charge since December 2001.
Zachary Katznelson, a lawyer with the Reprieve organisation has worked with Al Hajj’s case since 2005 and has visited him 10 times since then , the last time just three weeks ago.
“He looks like an ill man, he has problems with his kidneys, liver, blood in his urine and there are concerns that he may have cancer.”
Katznelson said that the cameraman’s release was probably motivated by political concerns.
“I think this is part of a larger picture between the United States and Sudan, that they are trying to bring those countries closer together,” he said.
“Sudan, one of the primary demands they made to the United States, is if you want to normalise relations with us you have to give something back, and one of the things is the prisoners in Guantanamo Bay.”
Martin Mubanga, a former Gitmo detainee himself, has said that Sami had refused to be broken during his time Guantanamo Bay and his stime there had strengthened his resolve against the American Authorities due to his horrible treatment and the US’s blatant tactics to gain ‘dirt’ on Al Jazeera.
Wadah Khanfar, Al Jazeera’s MD will be in Khartoum to welcome back Sami and has criticised the Us for the tactics they used in order to spy on Al Jazeera.
“We are concerned about the way the Americans dealt with Sami, and we are concerned about the way they could deal with others as well,” he said.
“Sami will continue with Al Jazeera, he will continue as a professional person who has done great jobs during his work with Al Jazeera.
“We congratulate his family and all those who knew Sami and loved Sami and worked for this moment.”
