An American citizen identified only as John Doe has been freed after being secretly imprisoned by the US military in an Iraqi jail for more than a year, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) confirmed in a press release on Monday.
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 30th October, 2018) An American citizen identified only as John Doe has been freed after being secretly imprisoned by the US military in an Iraqi jail for more than a year, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) confirmed in a press release on Monday.
"When I fled violence in Syria, I never imagined that my country would deny me access to a lawyer for nearly four months, and imprison me without charge in solitary confinement for over a year," the former prisoner, referred to as John Doe in court filings said in the release.
The ACLU represented Doe in a challenge to his unlawful detention by the US military in Iraq since September 2017, the release explained. His identity has been protected by a court order for the security of him and his family.
"We shouldn't lose sight of the fact that the Trump administration thought it could trample over the rights of this American citizen," ACLU National Security Project Senior Attorney Jonathan Hafetz said in the release. "This case shows the enduring importance of the courts in safeguarding the rights of Americans against government overreach."
Doe had been fleeing violence in Syria when he was detained by Kurdish forces and handed over to the US military, which continued to detain him in secret without charge, the release explained.
Following his release, Doe requested time and privacy to rebuild his life, the ACLU noted. He also wishes to remain anonymous for the same reason.
