As we mark the shameful 20th anniversary of Guantánamo Bay, the third episode in this series asks if torture works. We hear, first hand, from Mohamedou Ould Slahi who reflects on what pain and fear meant to his perception of truth. His criminal defence lawyer, Nancy Hollander, and Professor Sir Malcolm Evans, former chair of the UNs Subcommittee for Prevention of Torture, extend the conversation to discuss how such a barbaric approach was possible in Guantánamo, in the 21st Century. 

3.Guantánamo Bay – Does torture work?

Content warning: This episode contains descriptions of torture and so listener discretion is advised.  

Professor Sir Malcolm Evans, Co-Director of The Human Rights Implementation Centre and the former Chair of the UN’s Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture, hosts this series which explores the shameful 20th anniversary of the Guantánamo Bay Detention camp, discussing its impact and its legacy with former prisoner, Mohamedou Ould Slahi and his defence lawyer, Nancy Hollander.

In this episode:

Part 1- We hear extracts from a talk held at the University of Bristol Law School's Human Right's Implementation Centre in March 2022 featuring Mohamedou Ould Slahi - a Mauritanian citizen who was detained at the camp for 14 years without charge trial and Nancy Hollander - an internationally recognised criminal defence lawyer who represented Mohamedou while he was at Guantánamo.

Part 2 - Nancy joins Malcolm to reflect on Mohamedou’s experience, discussing whether torture works, whether evidence gleaned by such methods can even be used – and why, if international human rights treaties demands that no-one shall be subject to torture, inhuman or degrading treatment without exception, was it possible in Guantánamo?

Further Reading/Viewing:

Guantánamo, torture and the mechanisms for change – bristol.ac.uk/research-guantanamo

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