Friday the 20th of May’s reports that at least four Guantanamo detainees had to be physically restrained from committing suicide is a very alarming development and an indication of the level of despair and desperation faced  by all who continue to be illegally imprisoned in Guanatanamo Bay. It appears,from the scant reports we have received, that several other detainees were involved in a clash with the guards. Yet the British government refuses to act on behalf of British residents still detained at Guantanamo.

The detainees have been in detention for over four years without any end in sight. Their families have already expressed grave concern about the health of several of the British residents still detained at Guantanamo. Omar Deghayes’s eyesight has been affected by the brutal treatment he received at the hands of the American interrogators at Guantanamo. Today’s events makes the families concern about the health and safety of these detainees even more urgent.

We already know from the report published earlier on Friday the 19th May 2006, by The UN Committee against Torture that detaining people in secret prisons was a violation of the UN convention against torture.
The report also stated that some of the interrogation techniques used in these prisons constitutes torture and some of these techniques had resulted in the death of detainees during interrogation and vague US guidelines have led to "serious abuse of detainees".

Campaigners, as part of the National Coalition of Guantanamo Campaigns are demanding that the British administration act immediately and determine the status of each of the British residents still detained in Guantanamo and inform their families of their condition. It is also time that the British Government make it very clear that they want all the British residents returned to Britain immediately. The families of detainees are now concerned about the health of their loved ones and the continued uncertainty they have about their family members is tantamount to collective torture - not just the detainees but their families as well.

Those  campaigning on behalf of the Guantanamo detainees demand that the British Government, as a matter of urgency does the following:-

1. Immediately confirm the exact health status of each of the British residents still held at Guantanamo and make their families aware of their health status.

2. As a matter of urgency, arrange a delegation consisting of a medical doctor, family members and members of Parliament to visit Guantanamo in order to determine the physical and mental health of each of the British residents still held there.

3. As a matter of urgency, demand that each of the British Residents be released from Guantanamo and returned to Britain.