Mansur Ahmad Saad al-Dayfi
Mansoor Adayfi | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1982 Sanaa, Yemen |
| Occupation | Former detainee |
| Known for | Detention at Guantanamo Bay, memoir "Don't Forget Us Here" |
Mansoor Adayfi (born 1982) is a Yemeni national who was detained without formal charges at the United States Guantanamo Bay detention camp from February 9, 2002, until July 11, 2016. He was released and transferred to Serbia on July 11, 2016, accompanied by another detainee from Tajikistan. His assigned Guantanamo Internment Serial Number was 441.
According to a US government assessment, Adayfi was considered "likely a low-level combatant associated with al-Qa'ida," although it remained uncertain whether he officially became a member of the organization. His journey took him to Afghanistan in mid-2001, where he underwent training at an al-Qa'ida facility. After the events of September 11, he sustained injuries from a coalition airstrike and was subsequently captured by Afghan forces later that year.
In 2022, Adayfi attracted renewed public interest when he accused Florida governor Ron DeSantis of overseeing physical abuse and force-feeding practices inflicted on detainees during his time at Guantanamo.
Official status reviews
During the Bush administration, it was maintained that individuals detained in the context of the "war on terror" were not entitled to Geneva Convention protections and could be held indefinitely without formal charges or transparent procedures. However, the 2004 United States Supreme Court decision in Rasul v. Bush mandated that detainees at Guantanamo must be informed of the reasons for their detention and be given an opportunity to contest their imprisonment.
Office for the Administrative Review of Detained Enemy Combatants
In response to the Supreme Court ruling, the Department of Defense created the Office for the Administrative Review of Detained Enemy Combatants to oversee detainee status evaluations. In December 2008, researchers at the Brookings Institution, led by Benjamin Wittes, classified detainees according to typical allegations cited as justification for their continued detention.
Previously Confidential Joint Task Force Guantanamo Evaluation
On June 9, 2008, a thirteen-page Joint Task Force Guantanamo assessment concerning Al-Dayfi was completed. The document, endorsed by camp commander Rear Admiral David M. Thomas Jr., recommended that his detention continue.
Relocation to Serbia
Al-Dayfi was moved to Serbia, a place he refers to as "Guantanamo 2.0". He was transferred along with another detainee from Tajikistan, named "Muhammadi Davlatov".
Profile on PBS Frontline
Al-Dayfi was featured on the PBS series Frontline on February 21, 2017. His habeas corpus lawyer, Beth Jacob, stated that Al-Dayfi was presented with a choice between relocation to Serbia or remaining in detention.
Neither the Serbian government nor the United States provided support in language acquisition, cultural integration, or job placement, which led Al-Dayfi to initiate a hunger strike. He had acquired English skills while at Guantanamo.
When Frontline's team visited him, Al-Dayfi had lost 18 pounds over three weeks; he had endured continuous force-feeding for more than two years during his confinement. During their investigation, Frontline producers encountered interference from security personnel, and Serbian officials restricted their access after Al-Dayfi went missing.
Guantanamo Artwork
On September 15, 2017, the New York Times published Al-Dayfi’s narrative describing detainees’ longing to see the ocean and how a 2014 hurricane temporarily removed the opaque barriers from the camp’s fences, granting them a glimpse of the sea.
In 2021, he released a memoir titled Don't Forget Us Here: Lost and Found at Guantanamo, co-authored with Antonio Aiello, which is based on writings composed during his imprisonment.
Appeal to President Biden
An open letter from Al-Dayfi and six other former detainees was published by the New York Review of Books on January 29, 2021. The letter urged US president Joe Biden to shut down the Guantanamo detention facility.
Claims Concerning Ron DeSantis
In an interview conducted in November 2022, Al-Dayfi alleged that Florida governor Ron DeSantis, while serving as a JAG officer at Guantanamo Bay detention camp, was responsible for overseeing detainee assaults and forced feedings.
External links
- Who Are the Remaining Prisoners in Guantánamo? Part Two: Captured in Afghanistan (2001) Andy Worthington, September 17, 2010