Yunis Abdurrahman Shokuri
Yunis Abdurrahman Shokuri | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 4, 1968 Safi, Morocco |
| Occupation | Former detainee |
| Known for | Extrajudicial detention at Guantanamo Bay |
Yunis Abdurrahman Shokuri (), born on May 4, 1968, in Safi, Morocco, is a Moroccan national who experienced extrajudicial detention at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp located in Cuba. The U.S. Department of Defense held him for more than thirteen years without bringing formal charges.
Upon his return to Morocco, Shokuri was released based on diplomatic guarantees from the United States that he would not face incarceration. Despite these assurances and concerns regarding Morocco's human rights record, he was held without charges for an additional six months after repatriation. After regaining his freedom, he openly criticized the Islamic State along with other extremist Islamist factions.
Press coverage
On July 12, 2006, Mother Jones featured excerpts from transcripts of selected detainees at Guantanamo.<ref name=MotherJones060712> Shokuri was included among those highlighted. His transcript contained the following statement:
- [T]he only exposure I had to the United States was through Hollywood movies or cartoons. I greatly admire several American singers…. The first time I encountered an American soldier was at Kandahar Air Base…. Being in Kandahar felt surreal, like a scene from a film. It reminded me of the 1996 movie The Siege, which depicted terrorists attacking the U.S…. In that film, the CIA and FBI failed to locate the terrorists, and the U.S. Army rounded up all individuals of Arabic descent into a camp, much like what happened in Kandahar. I was stunned and wondered, "Am I actually in that movie or on a Hollywood set?"… Occasionally, I laugh and ask myself, "When will this movie conclude?"
Variations in name recording
Official documents from the Department of Defense have inconsistently recorded Shokuri’s name as follows:
- Yunis Abdurrahman Shokuri appears on the official detainee list issued May 15, 2006.[1]
- Yuunis Shokuri is mentioned in a Summary of Evidence memo relating to Laacin Ikrassin, which references connections to Radwan Shokuri and Yuunis Shokuri.[2]
- Ahmed Abdullah Al-Wazan is listed on a document dated August 15, 2006.[3]
- Younous Chekkouri is the name used in his habeas corpus petition.[4]
Habeas corpus proceedings
A habeas corpus petition was filed representing Shokuri.
On July 15, 2008, attorney Jan K. Kitchel submitted a "PETITIONER'S REQUEST FOR 30-DAY NOTICE OF REMOVAL OR TRANSFER" within Civil Action No. CV 05-0329 (HHK). This request aimed to prevent the Department of Defense from transferring Shokuri beyond U.S. jurisdiction without providing his legal counsel with a minimum thirty-day advance notice. The precaution sought to address risks associated with transfers potentially resulting in mistreatment despite ongoing habeas litigation.
External links
- Who Are the Remaining Prisoners in Guantánamo? Part Three: Captured Crossing from Afghanistan into Pakistan (1 of 2) Andy Worthington, September 22, 2010
- Yunis Abdurrahman Shokuri - biography
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