Hundreds of messages of support for The Argus campaign to secure justice for a Guantanamo detainee have been delivered to the Home Secretary.
Reporter Miriam Wells travelled to Westminster to hand over more than 200 coupons and more than 150 emails backing The Argus demand that the British Government intervenes in the case of Omar Deghayes who has been imprisoned without trial for more than three years.
Attached was a covering letter asking Home Secretary Charles Clarke to respond to The Argus and its readers, stating what he intends to do to help Mr Deghayes.
The 36-year-old from Saltdean is a Libyan refugee whose family fled to the UK in the Eighties after their father was assassinated for political reasons.
Although Mr Deghayes' mother, brothers and sister hold British passports, Mr Deghayes does not and so the Government has so far said it is unable to intervene in his case.
This stance has caused outrage among politicians, religious leaders, lawyers and Mr Deghayes' friends and family who believe the Government has a moral responsibility to look after someone who has legally been part of this country for more than two decades.
Mr Deghayes is in his eighth week of a hunger strike along with 200 other Guantanamo inmates and it is feared he could die any day.
Like dozens of other prisoners he has reported beatings, physical and mental torture, humiliation and religious abuse during his time in the Cuban jail.
Because of the urgency of the situation The Argus delivered all the coupons and emails it has received by hand yesterday.
The coupons state: "Dear Home Secretary, It is a scandal Omar Deghayes has been held in Guantanamo Bay without trial for more than three years. He has the right to a trial so the courts can decide whether he is innocent or guilty. I support the campaign to get justice for Omar."
The Argus is demanding the British Government intervenes and lobbies the Americans to charge Mr Deghayes and put him on trial or release him immediately.
Our campaign has been backed by all three Brighton and Hove MPs, the city council, human rights and legal organisations and scores of other concerned citizens.
The campaign to secure justice for Mr Deghayes will be discussed on Radio 2's Jeremy Vine show at lunchtime today.
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