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April 23, 2013

12 Arrested at Anti-Guantánamo Protest in New York 
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In New York City, 12 people were arrested Monday at a die-in on the
steps of the federal courthouse in response to the more than
two-month-long hunger strike by prisoners at Guantánamo. The military
has admitted more than half of Guantánamo's 166 prisoners are on hunger
strike with 16 being force-fed, a tactic widely viewed as torture.
Defense lawyers say nearly all prisoners are on hunger strike. On
Monday, protesters with the group Witness Against Torture wore orange
jumpsuits and lay on the steps of the courthouse holding signs with the
names of Guantánamo prisoners who have died waiting for release.
Democracy Now! spoke to Jeremy Varon and Bill Ofenloch.

Jeremy Varon: "We’re here today at the Federal court house in New York
City in reponse to the hungar strike that’s currently taking place in
Guantánamo. More than half of the prisoners are on strike, some since
February sixth, protesting their indefinite detention without charge or
trial."

Bill Ofenloch: We’re trying to get Guantánamo closed and the
prisoners who are free to be released, to actually be released. The
majority of them that are there are there without charges and they are
cleared for release."

 

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