Habir Russol
Habir Russol | |
|---|---|
| Born | Afghanistan |
| Occupation | Former detainee |
| Known for | Extrajudicial detention at Guantanamo Bay |
Habir Russol is an Afghan national who was subjected to extrajudicial detention at the United States' Guantanamo Bay facility located in Cuba. He was freed on July 18, 2005.
Identity
Although Russol's release attracted considerable media coverage, his name did not appear on the official detainee list. His assigned internment number was 120.
Press reports
Following their repatriation on July 20, 2005, Russol and fellow Afghan detainee Moheb Ullah Borekzai gave interviews disclosing that Camp Delta had been the site of a large-scale hunger strike involving more than 180 detainees, which had persisted for over two weeks. Initially, Department of Defense spokesperson Flex Plexico denied any knowledge of the protest but subsequently admitted that a small group of detainees had briefly refused food for three days.
Legal counsel later confirmed they had been informed about the hunger strike since June 23, 2005; however, a gag order imposed by the Department of Defense prevented earlier public disclosure. Borekzai explained that the demonstration was motivated by allegations of abusive interrogation practices and assertions of their innocence. Both detainees rejected any claims linking them to the Taliban.