Our AI writing assistant, WriteUp, can assist you in easily writing any text. Click here to experience its capabilities.

‘The forever prisoner’: Abu Zubaydah’s drawings expose the US’s depraved torture policy

View Original View Raw

Summary

Abu Zubaydah, a detainee held in the US prison camp at Guantanamo Bay, has produced 40 drawings that chronicle the torture he endured in a number of CIA dark sites and at Guantanamo Bay between 2002 and 2006. The drawings depict gruesome acts of violence, sexual and religious humiliation, and prolonged psychological terror committed against Zubaydah and other detainees. The drawings provide a unique visual record of the US government’s use of torture post-9/11, and include depictions of physical threats, simulated drowning, prolonged use of multiple torture techniques, and threats of desecration of the Qur'an. Last week, a UN body called for Zubaydah to be set free immediately, finding his ongoing detention may be a crime against humanity.

Q&As

What account has Abu Zubaydah, a detainee held in the US prison camp at Guantanamo Bay, provided of the torture he endured?
Abu Zubaydah has provided a series of 40 drawings that chronicle the torture he endured in a number of CIA dark sites between 2002 and 2006 and at Guantanamo Bay.

What impact has the UN's call for Abu Zubaydah's immediate release had?
The UN's call for Abu Zubaydah's immediate release has provided a glimmer of hope that his legal quandary will be addressed.

What methods of torture were used on Abu Zubaydah?
Methods of torture used on Abu Zubaydah included walling, waterboarding, the Vortex, physical threats with anal rape, nudity in front of a female interrogator, and threats to desecrate the Qur'an.

How has the US government violated international laws and its own guidelines on torture?
The US government has violated international laws and its own guidelines on torture by using sexual assault, nudity, humiliation by having women present, and subjecting someone to prolonged torture to the point of exhaustion or worse.

What evidence does the new report provide that torture does not work?
The new report provides evidence that torture does not work by citing the conclusion of the Senate intelligence committee's 6,700-page torture report, which found that the abuse of Zubaydah and other detainees failed to elicit any new intelligence.

AI Comments

👍 This article gives an incredibly detailed and powerful account of the horrific torture endured by Abu Zubaydah, and provides a unique insight into the US government's use of torture in the wake of 9/11.

👎 This article is extremely graphic and may be too disturbing for some readers.

AI Discussion

Me: It's about a detainee at Guantanamo Bay, Abu Zubaydah, who was used as a human guinea pig in the CIA's post-9/11 torture program. He's produced a series of drawings that chronicle the torture he endured in a number of CIA dark sites and at Guantanamo Bay.

Friend: Wow, that's really disturbing. What does the article say about the implications of this torture?

Me: The article suggests that the US government violated international laws and its own guidelines with its torture program. It also suggests that the torture did not yield any new intelligence and was therefore ineffective. Furthermore, it highlights the ongoing plight of Zubaydah, who is being held indefinitely without charge or prospect of release. It also calls for the US government to be held accountable for its actions.

Action items

Research the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and their findings on Abu Zubaydah's case.
Write to your representatives in Congress to demand the release of Abu Zubaydah and an end to the US government's use of torture.
Educate yourself and others on the US government's use of torture and the effects it has on victims.

Technical terms

Torture: The intentional infliction of physical or psychological pain or suffering on a person in order to obtain information or a confession, or for punishment.
Rendition: The transfer of a person from one country to another, typically for the purposes of detention and interrogation.
Dark Sites: Secret detention facilities operated by the CIA, often located in foreign countries, where detainees are held without access to the outside world.
Simulated Drowning: A form of torture in which a person is made to feel as if they are drowning, typically by having water poured over their face or by being held underwater.
Walling: A form of torture in which a person is repeatedly slammed against a wall or other hard surface.
Waterboarding: A form of torture in which a person is made to feel as if they are drowning, typically by having water poured over their face or by being held underwater.
The Vortex: A term used to describe the prolonged use of multiple torture techniques on a detainee.
UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention: A United Nations body that investigates cases of arbitrary detention and makes recommendations for the release of individuals who have been unlawfully detained.
Kafkaesque: A term used to describe a situation or circumstance that is absurd, surreal, or nightmarish.