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July 12, 2013

Judge Halts Genital Searches at Guantánamo; Military Says 2 Prisoners End Hunger Strike 
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A federal judge has ordered commanders at Guantánamo Bay prison to stop
conducting invasive genital searches of prisoners seeking to meet with
their lawyers. Judge Royce Lamberth ruled the searches were aimed at
hindering prisoners' access to legal counsel. "The choice between
submitting to a search procedure that is religiously and culturally
abhorrent or forgoing counsel effectively presents no choice for devout
Muslims," he said. Judge Lamberth also said prisoners weakened in an
ongoing hunger strike must be allowed to meet with attorneys at their
housing camp, instead of being forced to travel. On Thursday the
military counted 104 hunger strikers at the prison, claiming two had
ended their strike; 45 are being force-fed.

 

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