London – The case of Mahdi Hashi reveals how citizenship deprivation back in 2011, opens the door for a succession of human rights abuses to take place, including: extrajudicial killing; extraordinary rendition; arbitrary detention; and torture. Hashi was secretly rendered to the US from Djibouti and then placed under Special Administrative Measures. Conditions which were described by UN Special Rapporteur on torture Juan Mendez and 20 leading human rights organisations as tantamount to torture. Reuters reported: Judge Gleeson calling the facts as "complicated”. Gleeson added, "I believe you believe this organisation you joined was dramatically different than what you thought or hoped it would be," he said. Prosecutors said they had no evidence Hashi engaged in violence. Lawyers for Hashi’s co defendants described “inhumane” conditions in Djibouti, including five other near naked men sharing a cell with Hashi and his co defendants. Having no mattress, no change of underwear and no change of clothing for over three months. The defense lawyers went on to describe incidents of Hashi’s co-defendants being “hung upside down and beaten with computer cables so that other inmates could watch it”. The disturbing revelations included reports that Hashi and five other men were forced to drink from a toilet, as the only means of sustaining themselves. Mahdi Hashi’s family in a statement to CAGE, said: “We are thankful the judge tried to understand the context of the case in passing down his sentence. At the same time, it is sad to be rejoicing for a 9 year sentence, especially after all the abuses Mahdi had to go through.” Saghir Hussain of HMA Solicitors, representing the family of Mahdi Hashi, said: “Issues remain over how and why British young men are taken from across the world for trial in New York. Mr Hashi’s appeal against the deprivation of his British citizenship will be heard in October at the Court of Appeal. I am restricted from saying anything about Mr Hashi’s case, due to the Special Administrative Measures imposed on him in prison.” Ibrahim Mohamoud, Communications Officer at CAGE, said: “There remain a number of unanswered questions for both the British and American authorities to answer. What role did both play in colluding to deliberately render Hashi to a country he has never step foot in? This is a serious example of outsourcing troubling cases across the Atlantic, by stripping Hashi of his citizenship and potentially rendering him stateless. There needs to be real accountability of how and why a London care worker was kidnapped, tortured and rendered across the globe to face trial in a foreign court” Press enquiries: Ibrahim Mohamoud
, Communications officer. +(44) 207 377 6700 \press@cageuk.org
The case of Mahdi Hashi’s disappearance drew public attention after it was first reported to CAGE in 2012. For background on the case:
<em>London</em> – The <strong><a href="https://cage.ngo/?p=2867">case of Mahdi Hashi</a></strong> reveals how <strong><a href="https://cage.ngo/?p=2842">citizenship deprivation</a></strong> back in 2011, opens the door for a succession of human rights abuses to take place, including: extrajudicial killing; extraordinary rendition; arbitrary detention; and torture.
Hashi was secretly rendered to the US from Djibouti and then placed under Special Administrative Measures. Conditions which were described by UN Special Rapporteur on torture Juan Mendez and 20 leading human rights organisations as tantamount to torture.
<strong><a href="http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-usa-security-alshabaab-idUKKCN0V72E7">Reuters reported</a>:</strong> Judge Gleeson calling the facts as "complicated”. Gleeson added, "I believe you believe this organisation you joined was dramatically different than what you thought or hoped it would be," he said.
Prosecutors said they had no evidence Hashi engaged in violence.
Lawyers for Hashi’s co defendants described “inhumane” conditions in Djibouti, including five other near naked men sharing a cell with Hashi and his co defendants. Having no mattress, no change of underwear and no change of clothing for over three months.
The defense lawyers went on to describe incidents of Hashi’s co-defendants being “hung upside down and beaten with computer cables so that other inmates could watch it”.
The disturbing revelations included reports that Hashi and five other men were forced to drink from a toilet, as the only means of sustaining themselves.
<strong>Mahdi Hashi’s family in a statement to CAGE, said:</strong>
“We are thankful the judge tried to understand the context of the case in passing down his sentence. At the same time, it is sad to be rejoicing for a 9 year sentence, especially after all the abuses Mahdi had to go through.”
<strong>Saghir Hussain of HMA Solicitors, representing the family of Mahdi Hashi, said:</strong>
“Issues remain over how and why British young men are taken from across the world for trial in New York. Mr Hashi’s appeal against the deprivation of his British citizenship will be heard in October at the Court of Appeal. I am restricted from saying anything about Mr Hashi’s case, due to the Special Administrative Measures imposed on him in prison.”
<strong>Ibrahim Mohamoud, Communications Officer at CAGE, said:</strong>
“There remain a number of unanswered questions for both the British and American authorities to answer. What role did both play in colluding to deliberately render Hashi to a country he has never step foot in? This is a serious example of outsourcing troubling cases across the Atlantic, by stripping Hashi of his citizenship and potentially rendering him stateless.
There needs to be real accountability of how and why a London care worker was kidnapped, tortured and rendered across the globe to face trial in a foreign court”
<strong>Press enquiries:</strong>
Ibrahim Mohamoud
,
<em>Communications officer. </em>
+(44) 207 377 6700
<strong><a href="mailto:press@cageuk.org">press@cageuk.org
</a></strong>
<em>The case of Mahdi Hashi’s disappearance drew public attention after it was first reported to CAGE in 2012. For background on the case:</em>
<em> </em>
<ul>
<li><em>CAGE's<strong> <a href="https://cage.ngo/?p=2867">Mahdi Hashi case file</a></strong></em></li>
<li><em>The Mail on Sunday:<strong> <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2265185/British-man-vanished-stripped-citizenship-claims-tortured-forced-confess-CIA.html#ixzz3ygNAzCTA ">British man who 'vanished' after being stripped of citizenship says he was tortured and forced to sign a confession by the CIA</a></strong></em></li>
<li><em>The Bureau of Investigative Journalism:<strong> <a href="https://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2014/04/19/stripped-of-his-uk-citizenship-now-mahdi-hashi-is-in-solitary-confinement-in-new-york/">Stripped of his UK citizenship, now Mahdi Hashi is in solitary confinement in New York</a></strong></em></li>
<li><em>CNN:<strong> <a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2013/03/27/world/europe/us-uk-somalia-renditions/">Somali family wants answers after son vanishes, reappears in U.S. custody</a></strong></em></li>
</ul>
<em> </em>
