Zachary Philip Katznelson

Zachary Philip Katznelson is a British lawyer and senior counsel for the human rights group Reprieve.[1]

Katznelson and his colleagues have represented 37 Guantanamo detainees. He written numerous newspaper op-eds and is frequently quoted in the British press.[2]

Comments on Guantanamo captives' cases

The BBC News quoted Katznelson's comments following the release of Bisher Al Rawi:[3]

"So it was misinformation that started this chain of events, though unfortunately that led to him first being taken by the CIA to Afghanistan to an underground prison of 24-hour darkness with rats everywhere, to then being taken to Guantanamo – and it took years to right this wrong.
"Right to the end they treated him with brutality, on the way to the plane in Guantanamo – they knew he was leaving – they insisted still on shackling him, blindfolding him, putting on earmuffs so he couldn't hear a thing and keeping him in the back of a very hot, very confined van on the way to the plane."

On 6 September 2009, Katznelson made what The Guardian characterised as "extraordinary claims" on behalf of his client Shaker Aamer.[4]

He repeated accounts Aamer had offered him of severe abuse during his initial interrogations in the Bagram Theater Internment Facility. Aamer claimed some of the interrogators who abused him in Bagram, in early 2002, represented themselves as MI5 officers.[4] Aamer told him about feeling terrified as he recovered from one stunning beating that his interrogators had left him alone in a room with a pistol on the table. Aamer told him that the interrogators who represented themselves as MI5 officers offered him a choice. If he agreed to spy on suspected jihadists living in the UK he could be released to the United Kingdom. Alternatively he could remain indefinitely American custody.Commenting on Aamer's report that he had been left alone with a gun Katznelson said:[4]

"The interrogators at the time were clearly making it up as they went along. He [Aamer] didn't know what to make of it. He was absolutely terrified. He'd been abused and then he was left alone with a gun. You can't get more abusive than that."[4]

Commenting on Aamer's report that MI5 had tried to recruit him as a spy Katznelson said:[4]

"You wouldn't make that offer to someone you thought was dangerous. It wouldn't make sense from a security perspective."[4]

Cases with which Zachary Katznelson has been involved

Katznelson has filed documents for the following detainees:

On 9 July 2008, he filed a STATEMENT REGARDING HEARING OF 8 July 2008 in Civil Actions: 05-CV-748 (RMC), 05-CV-764 (CKK), 05-CV-1347 (GK), 05-CV-1504 (RMC), 05-CV-2215 (RMC), 05-CV-2349 (RMC), 05-CV-2386 (RBW), 06-CV-1766 (HHK).[5]

On 18 July 2008, he filed a "STATUS REPORT" with regard to Jihad Dhiab, Shaker Aamer in Civil Action No. 05-cv-1457 (GK).[6]

On 18 July 2008, he filed a Status Report with regard to Ahmed Belbacha (ISN 290) in Civil Action No. 05-cv-2349 (RMC).[7]

On 18 July 2008, he filed a Status report with regard to Shaker Abdurraheem Aamer (ISN 239) in Civil Action No. 04-cv-2215 (RMC).[8]

On 18 July 2008, he filed a Status report in Civil Action No. 05-cv-764 (CKK) on behalf of Younis Shakur and Abdullatif Mohammed Nasser.[9]

On 16 August 2008, he filed a NOTICE OF AUTHORIZATION in Mohammed Omar v. George W. Bush Civil Action No. 05-2386 (RBW) on behalf of Mohammed Omar.[10]

On 18 August 2008, he filed a NOTICE OF APPEARANCE on behalf of Ahmed Omar (ISN 30) in Civil Action No. 05-cv-2386 (RBW).[11]

On 29 August 2008, he filed a CONSENT MOTION FOR ENTRY OF PROTECTIVE ORDER with regard to Mohammed Abdulmalik in Civil Action No. 08-cv-1440 (CKK).[12]

On 9 September 2008, he filed a NOTICE OF JOINDER IN PETITIONERS' RESPONSE TO RESPONDENTS' REQUEST FOR RELIEF FROM SCHEDULING ORDER with regard to Mohammed Abdulmalik in Civil Action No. 05-cv-764, 05-cv-1504, 05-cv-2349, 05-cv-748, 04-cv-2215, 05-1457, 05-cv-270, 08-cv-1440, 05-cv-2386 (CKK, RMC, GK, JR, RBW).[13]

On 12 September 2008, he filed a MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING REGARDING ACCESS TO CLASSIFIED NATIONAL SECURITY INFORMATION in Civil Action No. 05-cv-764, 05-cv-1504, 05-cv-2349, 05-cv-748, 04-cv-2215, 05-1457, 05-cv-270, 08-cv-1440, 05-cv-2386 (CKK, RMC, GK, JR, RBW).[14]

On 27 September 2008, he filed a "Notices of authorisation by petitioners to pursue this action" in Civil Action No. 05-cv-329, 05-cv-2349 (PLF, RMC).[15]

On 27 September 2008, Katznelson and Cori Crider of Reprieve jointly filed a "NOTICE OF AUTHORIZATION BY PETITIONER SAIFULLAH PARACHA TO PURSUE THIS ACTION" on behalf of Saifullah Paracha in Civil Action No. 04-2022 (PLF). [16]

On 10 November 2008, Katznelson filed a MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING REGARDING ACCESS TO CLASSIFIED NATIONAL SECURITY INFORMATION in Civil Action No. 08-cv-1789 (RWR).[17]

References

  1. Zachary Katznelson (7 June 2007). "Zachary Katznelson: In Guantanamo, men shadow-box for their lives". The Independent. Retrieved 18 November 2008.
  2. "More on: Zachary Katznelson". The Independent. Retrieved 10 October 2010.
  3. "UK man released from Guantanamo". BBC News. 1 April 2007. Retrieved 18 November 2008.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Jamie Doward (6 September 2009). "'MI5 agent left me alone with gun', says Guantánamo terror detainee". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 6 September 2009.
  5. Zachary Katznelson (9 July 2008). "Guantanamo Bay Detainee Litigation: Doc 31 – STATEMENT REGARDING HEARING OF JULY 8, 2008" (PDF). United States Department of Justice. Retrieved 17 November 2008.
  6. Zachary Katznelson (18 July 2008). "Guantanamo Bay Detainee Litigation: Doc 121 – STATUS REPORT" (PDF). United States Department of Justice. Retrieved 17 November 2008.
  7. Zachary Katznelson (18 July 2008). "Guantanamo Bay Detainee Litigation: Doc 122 – Status Report" (PDF). United States Department of Justice. Retrieved 17 November 2008.
  8. Zachary Katznelson (18 July 2008). "Guantanamo Bay Detainee Litigation: Doc 123 – Status report" (PDF). United States Department of Justice. Retrieved 18 November 2008.
  9. Zachary Katznelson (18 July 2008). "Guantanamo Bay Detainee Litigation: Doc 124 – Status report" (PDF). United States Department of Justice. Retrieved 18 November 2008.
  10. Zachary Katznelson (16 August 2008). "Guantanamo Bay Detainee Litigation: Doc 262 – NOTICE OF AUTHORIZATION" (PDF). United States Department of Justice. Retrieved 21 August 2008. mirror
  11. Zachary Katznelson (18 August 2008). "Guantanamo Bay Detainee Litigation: Doc 261 – NOTICE OF APPEARANCE" (PDF). United States Department of Justice. Retrieved 17 November 2008.
  12. Zachary Katznelson (29 August 2008). "Guantanamo Bay Detainee Litigation: Doc 315 – CONSENT MOTION FOR ENTRY OF PROTECTIVE ORDER" (PDF). United States Department of Justice. Retrieved 18 November 2008.
  13. Zachary Katznelson (9 September 2008). "Guantanamo Bay Detainee Litigation: Doc 372 – NOTICE OF JOINDER IN PETITIONERS' RESPONSE TO RESPONDENTS' REQUEST FOR RELIEF FROM SCHEDULING ORDER" (PDF). United States Department of Justice. Retrieved 18 November 2008. Petitioners Abdullatif Nasser, Nabil Hadjarab, Ahmed Belbacha, Mohsen Ahbdrub Aboassy, Said Salim Bin Salman, Samir Najy Mukbel, Shaker Aamer, Jihad Dhiab, Sherif El-Mashad, Adel Fattough Al Gazzar, Mohammed Abdulmalik, Sayf Bin Abdullah and Ahmed Omar, join in Petitioners' Response to Respondents' Motion for Relief from Scheduling Order, filed with the Court Security Officer on 8 September 2008. The Notice of Filing of this Response was filed as Misc. Docket Number 357.
  14. Zachary Katznelson (12 September 2008). "Guantanamo Bay Detainee Litigation: Doc 413 – MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING REGARDING ACCESS TO CLASSIFIED NATIONAL SECURITY INFORMATION" (PDF). United States Department of Justice. Retrieved 18 November 2008.
  15. Zachary Katznelson (27 September 2008). "Guantanamo Bay Detainee Litigation: Doc 541 – Notices of authorization by petitioners to pursue this action" (PDF). United States Department of Justice. Retrieved 18 November 2008.
  16. Zachary Katznelson/Cori Crider (27 September 2008). "Guantanamo Bay Detainee Litigation: Doc 542 – NOTICE OF AUTHORIZATION BY PETITIONER SAIFULLAH PARACHA TO PURSUE THIS ACTION" (PDF). United States Department of Justice. Retrieved 30 September 2008. mirror
  17. Zachary Katznelson (10 November 2008). "Guantanamo Bay Detainee Litigation: Doc 958 – MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING REGARDING ACCESS TO CLASSIFIED NATIONAL SECURITY INFORMATION" (PDF). United States Department of Justice. Retrieved 18 November 2008.
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