AI URGENT ACTION: Help Mahmoud Abu Rideh

Amnesty Stop Torture

Inhuman Treatment

Mahmoud Abu Rideh

2002-07-10 United Kingdom

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Amnesty International is concerned that the conditions of detention in which Mahmoud Abu Rideh is currently being held amount to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, and that he is at serious risk of taking his own life.

Mahmoud Abu Rideh is currently being held at Belmarsh Prison in London. He was arrested in London on 19 December 2001 under the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act (ATCSA) 2001. As a category A detainee, Mahmoud Abu Rideh has been held in detention conditions that fall short of many basic rights recognized by international standards, such as the right to have adequate opportunities to exercise and work, and the right to adequate physical and mental health care.

In 1997, he was granted refugee status as a torture victim and diagnosed as suffering from severe post-traumatic stress disorder. His mental and physical health have seriously deteriorated since his detention. At a bailing hearing brought by Mahmoud Abu Rideh on 24 June 2002 before the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC) -- the tribunal empowered under the ATCSA 2001 to grant bail applications, review and hear appeal challenges to the detention order -- Amnesty International heard detailed expert testimony as to his mental and physical health. In addition, Amnesty International's representatives visited Mahmoud Abu Rideh at Belmarsh Prison on 26 June 2002.

According to the evidence from the hearing and the visit, Mahmoud Abu Rideh complains of frequent flashbacks of his torture. According to the medical evidence presented to SIAC, these flashbacks are triggered by the fact that he is currently detained in Belmarsh Prison in very harsh conditions. He is suicidal and has been involved in frequent and repeated incidents in which he has harmed himself. He has lost a substantial amount of weight as a result of his refusal to take prison food. He is currently surviving solely on small daily fluid intakes and the little food that he accepts from the other ATCSA detainees. He has been suffering from lower back pain for years, including sciatica, and his condition has deteriorated since his arrest. As a result, he is currently confined to a wheelchair. On a daily basis, like the other ATCSA detainees, he is locked up in his cell for 22 hours a day. He is not, however, actually taking advantage of the two remaining hours to spend time out!

side his cell because he is too weak to go out.

Due to his current mental and physical state, Mahmoud Abu Rideh could only be a threat to himself. The mental and physical health care provided to him at Belmarsh Prison is seriously inadequate. In addition, his ability to instruct his legal representatives has been seriously undermined by the severe deterioration in his mental and physical health.

Despite the wealth of evidence presented at the bail hearing that Mahmoud Abu Rideh could conceivably take his own life as a result of his current detention at Belmarsh Prison, Mr Justice Collins refused him bail to a medium to low level secure mental hospital as his legal representatives had requested.

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Sign the petition and express your concern for Mahmoud Abu Rideh

Simply click on the following link to sign the petition:

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Together we can Stamp Out Torture

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