Through the Gates of Hell: American Injustice at Guantanamo Bay
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- Synopsis
- An inspiring true story about an American attorney and his client confronting prejudice and persecution in a prison outside the law, as one fights for the other&’s freedom, and the other fights for his life.&“We&’ll be watching,&” the sergeant said, pointing at a video monitor inside Camp Echo&’s guard booth. &“For your protection.&” In 2004, attorney Joshua Colangelo-Bryan arrived at Guantanamo Bay to meet Jaber Mohammed, one of six Bahraini detainees his firm had agreed to represent. Colangelo-Bryan had heard these men were &“among the most dangerous, best-trained, vicious killers on the face of the earth,&” as Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld put it. Colangelo-Bryan didn&’t buy the rhetoric, but did find himself wondering if he was about to meet a killer. Far from being threatening, though, Mohammed welcomed Colangelo-Bryan, even as his ankle was shackled to the floor. Why was Mohammed there? Was he guilty of a crime? These were among the questions Colangelo-Bryan had to answer. Surprisingly, the two spoke for hours about their lives. Mohammed also detailed the inhumane conditions at the prison, including abuse by guards and solitary confinement. A friendship grew over time, as Colangelo-Bryan worked to bring justice to Mohammed. The Bush administration claimed any &“enemy combatant&” could be held in Guantanamo forever without a trial, and it became clear that litigation was unlikely to free the Bahrainis. And so, as Mohammed lost hope, Colangelo-Bryan devised a plan to leverage the media and pressure the Bahraini government to negotiate for the release of its citizens. Colangelo- Bryan&’s long fight for the Bahrainis was ultimately successful, and in 2007, after several suicide attempts, Mohammed was freed. Through the Gates of Hell is a powerful account of an unlikely friendship and what it takes to fight for human rights in the post–9/11 era.
- Copyright:
- 2025
Book Details
- Book Quality:
- Publisher Quality
- Book Size:
- 232 Pages
- ISBN-13:
- 9781967494019
- Related ISBNs:
- 9781967494002
- Publisher:
- City Point Press
- Date of Addition:
- 10/14/25
- Copyrighted By:
- Joshua Colangelo-Bryan
- Adult content:
- No
- Language:
- English
- Has Image Descriptions:
- No
- Categories:
- Nonfiction, Biographies and Memoirs, Law, Legal Issues and Ethics, Politics and Government
- Submitted By:
- Bookshare Staff
- Usage Restrictions:
- This is a copyrighted book.
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