I can't take much more, Hicks tells his father

"Guantanamo Bay inmate David Hicks told his father yesterday he did not know whether he would survive another year in the US detention centre, saying he was being "pushed all the time" since three suicides there last month.

"Terry Hicks broke the news yesterday to his son about last week's historic decision by the US Supreme Court, which ruled that the military commission set up to hear his case was illegal and a violation of the Geneva Conventions and US military law.

"In their first conversation since Christmas, Mr Hicks was allowed to speak to his son for a little over two hours yesterday, along with other members of the Hicks family and his Australian lawyer, David McLeod.

"Mr Hicks said that while his son was pleased about the court victory he was depressed that he was not being released.

"'That means I could be here for another 12 months or more and I can tell you now, I don't know whether I can last that long,' Hicks told his father. 'You don't realise how much pressure we are under here, the guards are absolute pigs.'

"Hicks has been held in Guantanamo Bay for 4½ years, much of it spent in solitary confinement. The Prime Minister, John Howard, said this week he would not ask for Hicks to be released. He said he still wanted Hicks tried by the US."
Sydney Morning Herald

Tagged: usa, human+rights, torture, guantanamo, david+hicks