Arkin Mahmud
Arkin Mahmud | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 1, 1964 Ghulja, Xinjiang, China |
| Occupation | Asylum seeker |
| Known for | Former detainee at Guantanamo Bay detention camp |
Arkin Mahmud is a Uyghur asylum seeker who endured more than seven and a half years of confinement at the United States' Guantanamo Bay detention camp located in Cuba. He was born on July 1, 1964, in Ghulja, Xinjiang, China, and journeyed to Afghanistan in pursuit of his younger sibling Bahtiyar Mahnut.
He is counted among roughly twenty-two Uyghur individuals detained at Guantanamo. Although initial indications pointed to their innocence, Arkin faced indefinite detention without formal charges and experienced solitary confinement during 2005. By 2009, his psychological well-being had deteriorated significantly, limiting possibilities for relocation, including offers of refuge in Palau.
In 2008, Arkin prevailed in his habeas corpus petition when Judge Ricardo Urbina declared his detention illegal and mandated his release within the United States. Despite this ruling, he remained held at Guantanamo until March 23, 2010, when he was finally relocated to Switzerland. His extended incarceration underscores the persistent difficulties involved in resolving the cases of innocent detainees within U.S. counterterrorism frameworks.
Writ of habeas corpus
A writ of habeas corpus was filed on behalf of Arkina Amahmud under the case Arkina Amahmud v. George W. Bush.[1]Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have contentCite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content
Mental health
In July 2009, Palau extended an offer of sanctuary to all remaining Uyghur captives in Guantanamo except for Arkin.[2] His brother Bahtiyar refused resettlement so as to remain with him. Due to infractions of camp regulations, Arkin was subjected to isolation starting in 2005.
During communications with his habeas attorneys, Arkin expressed, "I know I'll die in here. In China, at least I would have a trial and sentence."[2]
Granted asylum in Switzerland
On February 4, 2010, Switzerland granted political asylum to both Arkin Mahmud and Bahtiyar Mahnut.[3][4][5][6][7] Swiss officials assisted in their resettlement within the Canton of Jura. Historian Andy Worthington observed that Switzerland’s acceptance helped the Obama administration avoid political embarrassment by providing a refuge for the Uyghurs—except for Arkin Mahmud—which complicated habeas proceedings for those who declined Palau's offer.
External links
- From Guantánamo to the United States: The Story of the Wrongly Imprisoned Uighurs Andy Worthington October 9, 2008
- Judge Ricardo Urbina’s unclassified opinion (redacted version)
- MOTIONS/STATUS HEARING - UIGHURS CASES BEFORE THE HONORABLE RICARDO M. URBINA
- Taking On Guantánamo Connecticut Law Tribune, May 10, 2010
- Human Rights First; Habeas Works: Federal Courts’ Proven Capacity to Handle Guantánamo Cases (2010)
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