The sister of Guantanamo detainee Omar Deghayes has compared his plight to the execution of their father in Libya.

Amani Deghayes was addressing a packed Save Omar fringe meeting at the Friends Meeting House in Ship Street, Brighton, last night.

The Argus has joined the campaign demanding the British Government pressures the US to put Mr Deghayes on trial or let him go.

The 36-year-old law graduate from Saltdean, who has been held at American military base since 2002, claims to have suffered severe beatings, mental torture, humiliation and religious abuse.

His sister told the 150-strong audience last night how her brother's plight reminded her of the time her family fled Libya to the UK after her father was executed over his opposition to the Gadaffi regime.

She said: "When we came here we thought the persecution was all over. We thought we would be safe and had rights.

"It's quite shocking to have the same thing happen to my brother.

"It's disgusting when you are being presented with a case like Omar with someone being detained for four years, tortured and blinded in one eye.

"My heart goes out to everyone, not just my brother. For someone to say 'oh sorry, he is not British' makes a mockery of all the values we should hold so dear."

Veteran left-winger Tony Benn was due to speak but was being treated at the Royal Sussex County Hospital after collapsing yesterday at the Labour conference.

Other speakers included Asim Qureshi of campaign web site www.cageprisoners.com He told how two months ago he was put in an Israeli prison merely because he was a Muslim.

But he had no right to feel sorry for himself when people were being tortured in Guantanamo Bay.

He said: "The Government claims it can't help our brother simply because he is not a British citizen. What kind of government would use such a base excuse to turn a blind eye to the tragedy that is happening in Guantanamo Bay? This Government has gone against the very meaning of what it means to be human by turning against Omar and all the others there."

Mr Deghayes has not been charged with a crime and has not seen or spoken to family or friends since his capture in Pakistan in 2001.

He and more than 200 other inmates are in the sixth week of a hunger strike which it is feared could kill prisoners within days.

Mark Jennings of Amnesty International said three dozen of the detainees on hunger strike were under sedation or being forcibly fed.

Joy Hurcombe of Worthing Against The War, and vice-chairman of Labour CND, said she was trying to get the Omar Deghayes' case debated at the Labour Conference. Other speakers last night included Labour MP Jeremy Corbyn, Unison representative John Rogers and Green Party Councillor Keith Taylor.

The Save Omar group is asking people to wear badges bearing the detainee's prison number. People can pick up the badges at Brighton Peace and Environment Centre in Surrey Street, Brighton.