Sami al-Hajj

Al Hajj was captured in Pakistan, on December 15, 2001.[2] He was on his way to work in Afghanistan as a cameraman for Al Jazeera and had a legitimate visa. He was held as an "enemy combatant" at the Guantanamo Bay detainment camp, with Guantanamo Internee Security Number 345, and was the only journalist to be held in Guantanamo. Since going on a hunger strike January 7, 2007 he has lost over 55 pounds and is in a questionable state of health [1]. A special report by BBC Radio 4 gave an exclusive glimpse of the world inside Guantanamo Bay detention centre, told through the letters of al-Hajj.[3] British human rights lawyer Clive Stafford Smith represented Al Hajj, and was able to visit him in 2005. According to Smith, Al Hajj reported: He has been beaten. Smith said he had a huge scar on his face. Al Hajj witnessed guards flushing a Koran down a toilet. Al Hajj witnessed guards defacing a Koran with swear words. He has been sexually assaulted. He has been interrogated roughly 130 times.

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