Hicks in solitary confinement: lawyer

[cal04]

A lawyer for Australian Guantanamo Bay detainee David Hicks says he has learned that his client has had his conditions at the prison camp altered for no reason. Joshua Dratel understands Hicks is back in solitary confinement.

Mr Dratel, a civilian lawyer, is in Adelaide to meet potential witnesses in the Australian's case and some of his client's supporters. He says there is no legitimate reason for keeping his client under those conditions. "They have not provided any explanation and certainly there is not any disciplinary or security interest involved," he said.

"It's a mystery in terms of any specific reason but we think that it's part of the arbitrary and punitive nature of the way that they treat David." Mr Dratel says the process under which changes at the jail are made is arbitrary.

"All the things that become routine are no longer available," he said. "Certain psychological aspects of it such as solitary confinement, lack of sunlight are extremely important in keeping one's psyche in order." A decision is still pending on Hicks's application for British citizenship, which could potentially see him freed.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200604/s1614488.htm

[babylonsister]

1. Bookmarked. I wonder what happened. nt

[Eugene]

2. Reuters: Court backs Guantanamo inmate's right to be British

http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=560472006

Hicks just won another round in the courts. It is now up to the British government
to comply with the ruling or appeal it to the House of Lords.

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3. Hicks allowed home if released

GUANTANAMO Bay detainee David Hicks won't be prevented from returning to Australia if he is granted British citizenship and released from detention, Attorney-General Philip Ruddock said. An appeals court yesterday rejected the British government's latest bid to deny citizenship to Hicks, boosting his campaign to be freed from Guantanamo Bay.

Hicks, whose mother was born in Britain, is seeking citizenship because the British government, unlike Australia, has successfully fought for the release all of its nationals from Guantanamo Bay. Mr Ruddock said there would be no legal basis to prevent him from returning to Australia. "If he is no longer held by the United States he has an entitlement to return to Australia," Mr Ruddock told ABC radio. "That's a matter of international law - we can't deny our own citizens access to Australia."

Mr Ruddock said even if Hicks did not possess a valid Australian passport it would be unlikely the Australian Government would deny him from being granted a new one."There's no basis upon which he would be denied travel documents to travel to Australia," he said.He also confirmed reports Hicks has been returned to solitary confinement at the military base two years after the Australian Embassy in Washington demanded he be removed from solitary confinement.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,18804028-1702,00.html

Give up, Hicks lawyer urges UK
US Army Major Michael Mori said today the Home Office was fighting a lost cause."We won at the lower court, the appeals court was unanimous in favour of David Hicks, if they want to waste their time going to the House of Lords that's their choice," Major Mori told Channel 9. "The court basically said David is entitled to his citizenship. Get on with giving it to him. There's no legitimate basis to take it away from him."
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,18803765-1702,00.html