London MEP at Gitmo inmate Shaker Aamer Downing Street protest

4.01.00pm GMT Fri 5th Feb 2010

A protest outside Downing Street is being organised by the Save Shaker Aamer Campaign this Saturday (6th February 12pm-2pm) to demonstrate against the continued incarceration of Londoner Shaker Aamer in Guantanamo.

Protesters will include the Aamer family's MEP, Liberal Democrat European justice & human rights spokeswoman Sarah Ludford who will also speak at the demonstration. Ahead of the event she commented:

"This Downing Street protest is to mark Shaker Aamer's 8 long years of illegal and abusive detention without charge in Guantanamo. This was after his subjection to the infamous 'extraordinary rendition' and torture."

"Shaker was originally cleared for release 3 years ago - by George Bush - a recognition of the fact that he is simply not a terrorist. The fact that wrangling is preventing him coming home to London and his suffering British wife and 4 children is an indictment of the cruelty of both the US and UK governments."

"The suspicion is that Shaker might be spirited away to renewed imprisonment in his country of origin, Saudi Arabia, whose human rights record has been universally condemned. This would be out of reach of his family, and of British courts to whom he might otherwise testify about US and British torture crimes."

"The Aamer family has suffered enough injustice - the last Londoner in Guantanamo must be bought home now."

ENDS