Legal Commentary

Omar Khadr to Boycott Military Commission, Issues Statement

By Jeralyn

Former child soldier, Canadian Omar Khadr, told the judge at his Guantanamo military proceeding he wanted to fire his lawyers. His request was refused. Now, he will boycott the proceedings.

“The unfairness of the rules will make a person so depressed that he will admit to any allegations or take a plea offer that will satisfy the U.S. government.”

...I will not willingly let the U.S. government use me to fulfill its goal,” Mr. Khadr said. “I have been used too many times when I was a child, and that's why I'm here – taking blame for things I didn't have a choice in doing, but was forced to do by elders.”

He called the process a "sham" and denounced the plea bargain that had been offered to him. The deal was:[More...]

...release from the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay in five years, to serve the rest of a 30-year sentence in Canada, if he pleaded guilty.

The ACLU, which is in Guantanamo following proceedings this week, says:

"The Obama administration should shut down the illegitimate military commissions system that has become a stain on our nation's reputation and prosecute terrorism suspects in the time-tested federal criminal courts. The commissions system is unfit to try any Guantánamo detainee, especially an alleged child soldier who has been held in U.S. custody for over a third of his life and subjected to years of abuse. Omar Khadr, like all Guantánamo terrorism suspects, should be tried in federal courts that guarantee due process. If that isn't possible, the U.S. must send him home to Canada."

The unedited version of the statement says:

your honor I'm boycotting this Military Commission because *Firstly the unfairness and unjustice of it. I say this because not one of the lawyers I've had, or human rights organizations, or any person, every say that this commission is fair or looking for justice, but on the contrary they say it's unfair and unjust and that it has been constructed to convict detainees, not to find the truth (so how can I ask for justice frmo a process that does not have it or offer it) and to accomplish political and public goals.

And what I mean is when I was offered a plea bargain it was up to 30 years which I was going to spend only five years so I asked why the 30 years. I was told it makes the U.S. government look good in the public's eyes and other political causes.

Secondly: The unfairness of the rules that will make a person so depressed that he will admit to allegations made upon him or take a plea offer that will satisfy the U.S. government and get him the least sentence possible and ligitimize this sham process.

Therefore, I will not willingly let the U.S. gov use me to fullfil its goal. I have been used to many times when I was a child and that's I'm here taking blame and paying for thigns I didn't have a choice in doing but was told to do by elders.

Lastly I will not take any plea offer or because it will give excuse for the gov for torturing and abusing me when I was a child.

All of our coverage of Omar Khadr is available here.

Full post as published by TalkLeft on July 13, 2010 (boomark / email).