Jawed Ahmad

Jawed Ahmad
Born	1986
Died	March 10, 2009(2009-03-10) (aged 22–23)
Occupation	Journalist
Known for	Detention by U.S. military at Bagram; work with Canadian broadcaster CTV

Jawed Ahmad (1986 – March 10, 2009), also referred to as "Jojo," was an Afghan journalist affiliated with the Canadian broadcaster CTV. While collaborating with NATO personnel at Kandahar Airport on October 26, 2007, he was detained by U.S. military forces and designated as an enemy combatant.

He spent 11 months confined at the U.S. military detention center in Bagram, Afghanistan, without legal counsel. His release on September 21, 2008, came after intervention by relatives, acquaintances, and a habeas corpus petition initiated by the International Justice Network.

Early life

At the age of twelve, Jawed began training as a tailor’s apprentice, earning merely 75 cents daily to support his education. His academic background and proficiency in languages allowed him to serve as a translator for American troops following the Taliban’s fall. Subsequently, he was employed by independent security companies and, in 2006, took on roles as a translator and "fixer" assisting Canadian journalists.

Capture

Jawed’s detention occurred on October 26, 2007. He stated that he was called to Kandahar Air Field by a U.S. Public Affairs Officer to participate in a survey concerning Afghan journalists. U.S. authorities accused him of possessing contact information and videos related to Taliban figures.

A military assessment concluded there was "credible information" warranting his detention at Bagram Airbase. His brother Siddique maintained communication through the International Red Cross, reporting instances of physical abuse during Jawed’s captivity.

Individuals held at the Bagram Theater Detention Facility are not entitled to Combatant Status Review Tribunals but may be subjected to an "Enemy Combatant Review Board" led by the base commander. These proceedings lack legal representation and transparency.

The Washington Post raised alarms about Bagram's role as a detention center absent judicial scrutiny, calling it "a convenient place to hold people who you might not want the world to know you are holding."

Release

Jawed Ahmad was freed without any official explanation on September 22, 2008. He acknowledged the efforts of friends and advocates who had campaigned for his release, mentioning that guards indicated numerous individuals had been lobbying on his behalf.

He compared his treatment to scenes from the documentary The Road to Guantanamo, describing experiences such as being hooded, restrained, slammed against walls, and beaten severely enough to fracture two ribs. He also suffered from sleep deprivation and extreme cold exposure; in a BBC interview, he recounted being forced to stand barefoot in snow for six hours, fainting twice.

During interrogations, he faced accusations of espionage for the Taliban, Iran, and Pakistan, with claims that his family had confessed under duress after his arrest. It was also suggested that his detention stemmed from pressure exerted by his Canadian employers. After his release, Jawed revealed he had been threatened with transfer to Guantanamo and noted ongoing incidents of Koran desecration at Bagram.

Death

On March 10, 2009, Reporters Without Borders reported that Jawed was fatally shot by two assailants as he exited his vehicle in Kandahar. Afghan media professionals suspected Taliban involvement in ordering the killing; however, local authorities provided no official details. Ahmad’s brother did not exclude any possible motive behind the attack.

See also

• Bagram torture and detainee mistreatment