Image Credit: Courtesy: Shelby Sullivan-Bennis

Washington, October 21 (RHC)-- A U.S. federal court has ruled the detainment of a Guantánamo Bay prisoner is unlawful, a week after he was cleared for release by six U.S. security agencies. 

The court granted Asadullah Haroon Gul’s petition for a writ of habeas corpus.  He is the first Guantánamo prisoner in 10 years to win such a case. 

Asadullah is represented by the group Reprieve, which says he has suffered severe physical and mental torture during his 14 years behind bars without charge or trial.  One of his lawyers said: “This is a landmark ruling.  For 20 years, successive U.S. administrations have asserted their right to imprison people indefinitely, without charge or trial. Guantánamo was built on the shakiest of legal foundations.”