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The Forgotten Detainees of
Belmarsh Prison
We would like to draw attention to the plight of the
Forgotten Detainees who have been incarcerated in Belmarsh high
security prison without charge or trial for over two years. A recent
appeal against their detention was rejected. A court order stopping
these men from being named, leaves them dehumanised and they are
referred to as “suspected terrorists”. One of them, who suffers from
polio, is now mentally unstable and confined to a wheelchair.
Another has no arms and has only recently been given the help of a
part time carer. Unsurprisingly, they are all severely depressed.
They are detained indefinitely, are charged with no crime, have no
opportunity to get a fair trial and, in addition, worry about their
families – many with young children – coping on their own in an
alienated world.
A letter written recently by Mustafa, one of the 14 detainees, says,
"I feel, and my brothers as well, that not all British people are
without hearts although the government is trying to make it look
like everyone is against us. I am trying to be optimistic - life in
this place is very hard but your friendship is a light in the
darkness of the injustice we are in".
The Prisoners of the West Organisation have set up a post office box
number to allow people to write to these men. Please write to
Mustafa and his brothers with a short message of support as we can
assure you that it will lift their spirits knowing that people care
about the injustices heaped upon them by David Blunkett and the
British Government. The more letters they receive the better. Please
write to
THE FORGOTTEN DETAINEES
POW – PRISONERS OF THE WEST
PO Box 45768
London SW16 4PP
The letter below was printed in today’s Guardian newspaper -
Thursday February 26, 2004
”We were arrested in December 2001 and taken straight to Belmarsh
prison. We know that the police in this country have enormous powers
to investigate suspected terrorists. Why did no one ever speak to
us? Why were we never asked a single question before being locked up
as terrorists? We have never had a trial. We were found guilty
without one. We are imprisoned indefinitely and probably forever. We
have no idea why. We have not been told what the evidence is against
us. We are here. Speak to us. Listen to us. Tell us what you think
and why. If you did, you would no longer believe we were a threat to
this country. You would think perhaps that there was not the
emergency you have imagined here. Everyone is giving their opinion
about us. Why not think of coming to us first, rather than locking
us up and never speaking to us?”
The Forgotten Detainees
Belmarsh Prison
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