Release Of Three Prisoners From Guantanamo Including Two High Value Detainees After Two Decades Without Charge Or Trial

London - CAGE Welcomes the Release of Abdulmalik Mohammed Bajabu to Kenya and Mohammed Nazir Bin Lep and Mohd Farik Bin Amin to Malaysia after 21 years in Guantanamo without charge or trial. 

Abdul Malik, was cleared for release in 2021, and was one of the last prisoners transferred to Guantanamo Bay. He was imprisoned for a total of 17 years after being kidnapped from Kenya in 2007.

Mohammed Nazir Bin Lep and Mohd Farik Bin Amin were among the 14 high-value detainees transferred to Guantánamo Bay in 2006. Between 2003 and 2006, both men were "forcibly disappeared" and endured the most harrowing aspects of the CIA's torture and rendition programme. Their release follows a plea bargain that they took to end their plight as it allowed for their transfer to a third country. Their release marks the second instance a release of high-value detainees, following Majid Khan's release in February 2023. 

CAGE continues to call for the closure of Guantánamo Bay and the release of all remaining detainees held without due process. 

Mansoor Adayfi Former Guantanamo Bay prisoners, survivor of CIA Black sites and CAGE International Guantanamo Project coordinator said:

"Their release brings relief that their time at Guantanamo has ended, but it also sparks outrage over the decades of injustice they endured without charges or accountability. Their release doesn’t mean freedom; after over 20 years of indefinite imprisonment, they face immense challenges without support systems such as rehabilitation, integration programs, or therapy." 

"Life post-Guantanamo will be a new battle, Guantanamo 2.0. Begins. CAGE International will continue to follow their cases and fight for their right to rebuild their lives with dignity."

"For the released Malaysian men, the three years in a CIA black site would have been a relentless nightmare of torture, isolation, and psychological torment. Prisoners endured brutal interrogations, sleep deprivation, sexual abuse, sensory overload, and total disconnection from the outside world. Many were pushed to their limits, leaving survivors with lifelong physical and emotional scars, while others didn’t survive the ordeal of these secret prisons."

"CAGE International will continue to follow their cases and fight for their right to rebuild their lives with dignity."

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