The Minerva Center for Human Rights, at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem Faculty of Law,
is pleased to invite the public to an online discussion:
Guantanamo Bay: A Defense Lawyer’s Perspective
Due process, legal representation and procedural rights
in the U.S. Military Commissions in Guantanamo Bay
Wednesday, March 10, 2021, at 18:00-19:30 Israel Time (GMT+2)
Following the attacks of September 11, 2001, the United States established at its Naval Base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, a detention camp to hold suspects of terror-related offences. The detainees’ legal proceedings generally take place at U.S. military tribunals inside the detention camp. Since 2003, close to 800 detainees have been held at Guantanamo, and about 40 still remain there. Some detainees’ trials have yet to begin, despite close to two decades of imprisonment.
The camp and the tribunals have come under harsh criticism for the imprisonment of many detainees without trial; extreme interrogation methods, including alleged use of torture; procedural rules that heavily favour the prosecution, including extensive use of secret evidence that is withheld from the detainees and their counsel; and significant infringements of client-attorney privilege.
In this symposium, the Minerva Center for Human Rights at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem will host two prominent defense attorneys who represent detainees at Guantanamo on behalf of the U.S. Military. Among the topics of discussion: What are the differences between the Military Tribunals and civilian courts in terms of procedural and evidentiary rules? How do these impact the rights of detainees, and their lawyers’ ability to provide effective representation? What strategies do defense attorneys employ in these conditions? How do they contend with differences of language and culture with their clients? And how has the COVID-19 pandemic affected the proceedings at Guantanamo?
The discussion will be moderated by Adv. Gaby Lasky, one of Israel’s leading human rights lawyers. She regularly represents Palestinians in criminal and administrative proceedings in Israel and in the OPT. She is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Emil Grunzweig Human Rights Award.
Greetings:
Dr. Einat Albin / Academic Director, Minerva Center for Human Rights, Faculty of Law, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Moderator:
Adv. Gaby Lasky / Gaby Lasky Law Office
Discussants:
Adv. Adam Thurschwell / Resource Counsel, U.S. Department of Defense, Military Commissions Defense Organization
Adv. Michel Paradis / Defense Counsel, U.S. Department of Defense, Military Commissions Defense Organization; Lecturer, Columbia Law School
The symposium will be held via Zoom. Registration is required. The number of places is limited.
PLEASE REGISTER HERE:
https://huji.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_eKCT6OWkTrCb75cYQ9mv-g
Registrants will receive a participation link by e-mail no later than the morning of the event.
For additional information: mchr@savion.huji.ac.il