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 Outside The Law: Stories From Guantanamo exposes what happens in the secret network of American "black site" prisons located in remote spots of the globe and the infamous Guantanamo prison facility in Cuba. It graphically depicts the conditions and torture endured by the prisoners and how the Bush administration justified these illicit practices.
This 75 minute film, by Polly Nash and Andy Worthington, humanizes this issue by focusing on the stories of three particular prisoners -- Shaker Aamer, Binyam Mohamed and Omar Deghayes. These men were captured, in error, due to tips provided by civilian paid informants. Learn how the Bush regime then stripped these men of their rights by creating a legal black hole classification of "illegal enemy combatants." They were no longer protected by either the Geneva Conventions or as criminal suspects with habeas corpus rights. As a result, they were detained and tortured in secret "black site" prisons and later transported to Guantanamo without a fair trial, recourse or the ability to communicate with the outside world. This experience left both permanent physical and mental scars and stole years of their lives.
This film tells their stories through powerful interviews with the prisoners themselves in which they candidly describe the torture, the conditions they endured and how it has impacted them and their families. It also discusses the bigger picture of government exploiting the fear created by the 9/11 events to act above the law, coerce intelligence and to steal individual rights in the name of global security. Outside The Law is an important film that brings to light the tragic consequences of when the politics of fear run unchecked.
WARNING: some of the images and descriptions are graphic and unsettling. This film is not recommended for younger viewers.
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