Natalie Bennett, Leader of the Green Party, Caroline Lucas, Green MP for Brighton Pavilion, and Baroness Jenny Jones have all pledged to undertake a fast for 24 hours to show their solidarity with Shaker Aamer, the last British resident held in the prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba.

On 25 September 2015, the US told the UK that Aamer will be released and returned to his family in the UK after being held for nearly 14 years without charge or trial. However, under US law, 30 days’ notice must be given to Congress before any prisoner can be freed from Guantánamo, and, in the meantime, Aamer has embarked on a hunger strike protesting constant and ongoing abuse and his fears that, in his weakened state, he won’t live to see his family again.

Bennett, Lucas and Jones have pledged alongside Aamer’s lawyer Clive Stafford Smith, Aamer’s family, other politicians, campaigners and supportive members of the public (1) to encourage Aamer to give up his hunger strike, in the knowledge that others have chosen to take up his protest at his ongoing ill-treatment.

Lucas said:

“Shaker’s prolonged detention has been a brutal violation of his human rights by the US authorities. I sincerely hope Shaker will be free and able to return home in the coming days.

“Securing Shaker’s release is not the end of this fight. I’ll be working with campaigners such Amnesty International, Reprieve and the Save Shaker Campaign to secure an independent judge-led inquiry into Shaker’s unlawful detention.

“Shaker’s treatment is a stain on both Britain and the US’s reputations and we must continue to ensure that there is full transparency and accountability brought to bear.

“I’m fasting to show my solidarity with Shaker and his family and to express my anger at the way he has been treated.”

Writing to Aamer, Bennett said:

“The treatment you have received at the hands of the US, with the complicity of the UK, is absolutely abusive and a total denial of your human rights. By fasting, I hope to symbolically show solidarity. I hope you take hope from the many expressions of strong support.”

Jones, who is fasting on 22 October, said:

“I look forward to seeing Shaker at home in the UK, able to see his children, his family, and hold them in his arms. It is an absolute scandal that he has been held without charge or trial for nearly 14 years. I am fasting to highlight his ongoing ill-treatment and bring it to a long-awaited close." 

Ends

For more information please contact press@greenparty.org.uk / 0207 549 0315

Notes

1) Almost 300 people have pledged to Fast with Shaker. For more information and to pledge see: http://www.fastforshaker.org.uk/about-the-pledge/