For Those of You in the DC Area

July 11, 2012, New York, NY. -- Federal Judge John D. Bates of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia will hear oral arguments on Monday, July 16,  in litigation brought by the International Justice Network (IJN) and co-counsel on behalf of three non-Afghan citizens whom the U.S. government forcibly rendered to Afghanistan nearly ten years ago, for indefinite imprisonment at Bagram Air Base.  At issue in the case is whether the U.S. government can continue to use Bagram as the “other Guantánamo” to indefinitely detain prisoners in U.S. custody without access to legal counsel or courts Despite being cleared for release by a U.S. military “Detainee Review Board,” all three men continue to languish at Bagram.  

In 2009, the cases were consolidated before Judge Bates, who found that each man had the right to challenge his detention in U.S. courts.  However, the Obama administration appealed the decision to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals --which overturned Judge Bates’ ruling in 2010.  

Now the case is back before Judge Bates on the basis of new evidence that was not yet on the record when the Court of Appeals issued its ruling.  

The oral arguments in Al Maqaleh are open to the public and will take place on Monday, July 16, 2012 at 10:00 AM in Courtroom 14 of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, 333 Constitution Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20001.