Video Transcript - Mansoor Adayfi: Close Guantanamo NOW

Assalam alaikum

I’m Mansoor Adayfi, and for many years I was called  441. This was my internment serial number at Guantánamo, where I was detained without charges for more than 14 years.  I wrote more about  our  story in my forthcoming book, Don’t Forget Us Here: Lost and Found at Guantánamo. 

I was only 18 years old when I was sold to the US for bounty and sent to the unlawful military prison at Guantánamo. First, I was held in chain link cages, and then I was held in solitary confinement for more than 8 years. I was finally released in 2016, and like almost all of the emen there I was never charged with a crime. 

It’s been  almost 20 years since the opening of Guantánamo. During that time, 779 men have been detained there. Men from countries all around the world from many backgrounds. Engineers, teachers, medics, chefs, students, and more. We were sons and brothers, husbands and fathers. I came of age at Guantanamo and missed out on all of the things I had looked forward to in life, like finishing my university and getting married and starting a family. 

But at least I was released. Nine men died while I was at GUantanamo. And 40 men are still held there, many of those men  have been approved for release, but remain detained. 

Guantánamo is now a dark symbol of torture, injustice, lawlessness, and indefinite detention, a death sentence for those still there, and abuse of power. 

During this holy and blessed Ramadan I think of those brothers who remain detained.  I appeal to you all to take a stand for justice and sign this petition urging President Biden to finally make good on his promise to close the prison at Guantanamo once and for all.

By taking this action you are taking action for justice and you are saving lives.

May Allah bless you.