Ibrahim Fauzee
Ibrahim Fauzee | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1978-11-11 Thulhaadhoo, Baa Atoll, Maldives |
| Occupation(s) | Islamic leader, former detainee |
| Known for | Former Guantanamo Bay detainee; president of the Islamic Foundation of the Maldives |
Ibrahim Fauzee is a citizen of the Maldives who was subjected to extrajudicial detention at the United States' Guantanamo Bay detention camp located in Cuba. He was assigned the Guantanamo Internment Serial Number 730. Intelligence officials estimate his birth date as 11 November 1978, with his place of birth recorded as Thulhaadhoo, Baa Atoll, Maldives.
Combatant Status Review Tribunal
The administration under George W Bush initially claimed that detainees captured in the War on terror were not entitled to protections under the Geneva Conventions. This stance was met with legal opposition, asserting that the US government was obligated to conduct fair tribunals to establish prisoner of war status.
Consequently, the United States Department of Defense created Combatant Status Review Tribunals. These tribunals were restricted to assessing whether detainees fit the administration's criteria for an enemy combatant, without making determinations regarding lawful combatant classification.
Summary of Evidence memo
A Summary of Evidence memo dated 13 December 2004 for Fauzee's tribunal outlined various accusations, including:
Transcript
Records indicate that Ibrahim Fauzee did not partake in his Combatant Status Review Tribunal proceedings.
Determined not to have been an enemy combatant
According to The Washington Post, Fauzee was among a group of 38 detainees who were found not to be enemy combatants during their tribunals and were subsequently released. The Department of Defense categorizes such individuals as "no longer enemy combatants".
Public statements
The Pakistani publication Daily Times reported that Fauzee made his first public remarks following his release in 2005 on 31 October 2008. He connected his detention to the former Maldivian president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and stated that Maldivian security agents—permitted by US authorities—questioned him about opposition activities against Gayoom. Fauzee condemned Gayoom’s administration for not securing his earlier freedom and mentioned ongoing monitoring by Maldivian officials.
Public appearance
After a shift in government, Fauzee established the Islamic Foundation of the Maldives on 26 April 2009 in Malé, where he took on the role of president. The organisation rapidly grew, attracting thousands and becoming a leading religious institution within the nation.
Fauzee publicly challenged national religious policies, particularly responding to a letter published on the English-language platform Minivan News that supported gay rights. His activism led the Ministry of Islamic Affairs to initiate an inquiry into the issue.