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<div style="color: #505050;font-family: Arial;font-size:
14px;line-height: 110%;text-align: left;"><strong>US must release
files proving innocence of former Guantanamo detainee, say
lawyers</strong><br>
<br>
Lawyers at human rights NGO Reprieve yesterday filed an emergency
motion demanding the US government release information which could
exonerate a former Guantanamo detainee facing the possibility of
charges in Morocco.<br>
<br>
Younous Chekkouri, 47, was transferred to his native Morocco last
week. He has been detained ever since and the prosecution in
Morocco announced on Wednesday that he is now facing the
possibility of charges of ‘attempting to disrupt the internal
security of the country.’<br>
<br>
It is believed that these charges are based on allegations made
years ago by the US – almost every one of which was dropped during
Younous’ habeas corpus proceedings in federal court. Yet almost
all the files from the case remain held under seal by a Washington
D.C. court. Without the files being released, Younous’ lawyers
will not be able to defend him against the possible Moroccan
charges.<br>
<br>
Reprieve first began asking the U.S. government to release the
files in 2009, and in 2011 presented a “priority list” of thirteen
documents. In the nearly four years since, the government has
released only one of the requested files. In the rules governing
Guantanamo proceedings, the US is obliged to produce public
versions of all filings. The emergency motion filed yesterday
demands that the government make available all remaining
information by October 1st.<br>
<br>
The US government cleared Younous for release from Guantanamo in
2010, a process involving unanimous agreement by six US federal
agencies - including the CIA, FBI, and Departments of State and
Defense – that he poses no threat to the US or anyone else.<br>
<br>
<strong>Cori Crider, attorney for Younous and a director at human
rights NGO Reprieve</strong>, said: “The Americans' spurious
allegations against Younous have already collapsed once when
examined in US federal court and it is entirely unfair for him to
face any further charges. Yet Younous is now living a Groundhog
Day from hell where he may face yet more years of wrongful
imprisonment because the US has failed to release information that
I could use, this time in a Moroccan court, to prove his innocence
yet again. So we are now forced to fight tooth and nail for
information that should have been released years ago.”<br>
<br>
ENDS
<p class="p1">1. For further information, please contact
Reprieve's press office: + 44 (0) 207 553 8161 or in the USA 00
(1) 917 855 8064 </p>
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<div class="moz-signature">-- <br>
Freedom Archives
522 Valencia Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
415 863.9977
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="http://www.freedomarchives.org">www.freedomarchives.org</a>
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