Sami Al-Hajj - Health and Hunger Strike

Health and Hunger Strike

In 1998, Al Hajj was treated for throat cancer and prescribed a course of anti-cancer drugs that he was to take every day for the rest of his life. In letters from the dentention camp, he claimed that he was being denied these medications by the authorities.

The authorities were also reported to have "refused to provide him with a support for his knee as this contains metal and is classified as a security threat."

On January 7, 2007, Al Hajj went on a hunger strike. Al Jazeera's website published his demands which included:

• The right for detainees to practice their religion freely and without duress.
• Applying the Geneva Convention to the treatment of Guantanamo detainees.
• Releasing a number of prisoners from isolation confinement, and in particular one Shakir Amer that has been in continued isolation since September 2005.
• Conducting a full and fair investigation into the deaths of three prisoners who died in June 2006.
• His release or trial by a federal US court.

Zachary Katznelson, senior counsel of Reprieve, a London-based human rights group representing Al Hajj, visited the cameraman at Guantanamo Bay on February 1. U.S. military officials declined to confirm whether Al Hajj was among the 12 detainees on hunger strike at the time.

On August 22, 2007, Clive Stafford Smith told Reporters Without Borders that he had found Al Hajj's health had seriously deteriorated since his last visit. He said that Al Hajj looked more frail, and visibly had trouble concentrating.

On September 10, 2007, Clive Stafford said that Al Hajj was focussed on the worry that he would be the next captive to die and losing his ability to speak English.

On September 11, 2007, Al Jazeera reported that Al Hajj was suffering from depression and losing the will to live.

By October 19, 2007, Al Hajj had lost over 55 pounds since beginning his hunger strike in January.