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The sign waved by Ali al-Bahlul declaring a boycott at his 2006 hearing.

In 2006, after charges were laid against a number of captives held in the Guantanamo Bay detention camps, a boycott against the judicial hearings was declared by Ali al-Bahlul. The boycott gained momentum in 2008 when more detainees faced Guantanamo military commissions

The boycott has threatened the future of the tribunals, and reduced the credibility of the Military Commissions Act of 2006 as prisoners have resolved not to cooperate or recognise the American military proceedings, amidst claims that the tribunals were not impartial, the captives had been abused or tortured into giving false confessions, and would find each captive "Guilty" regardless of the facts.^[1] Public confidence in the fairness of the trials reached all-time lows after the boycotts began.^[2]

Organised by the captives themselves, American military defence attorneys have blamed peer pressure for convincing other prisoners to join the process.^[1]

Six of the charged prisoners have appeared before a judge in 2008, and five of them declared their intentions to boycott the proceedings. The Canadian Omar Khadr, accused of throwing a grenade when he was 15-years old, is the only detainee facing charges who is not currently boycotting the hearings, as his lawyers have stressed this shows that he is not a threat and will "play by the rules" if released.^[1] He was however a former member of the boycott, announcing his intentions to boycott in March 2006.^[3]

Captives facing charges who have joined the boycott

• Ali Hamza Ahmad Sulayman al-Bahlul, accused of making videos glorifying al-Qaeda attacks^[1]
• Mohamed Jawad, accused of throwing a grenade when he was 17-years old^[1]
• Salim Hamdan, accused of acting as a chauffeur to Osama bin Laden, announced his boycott April 29 2008 after years of cooperation, stating "America tells the whole world that it has freedom and justice. I do not see that...There are almost 100 detainees here. We do not see any rights. You do not give us the least bit of humanity...Give me a just court...Try me with a just law.'"^[2]

References

Detainees facing charges before the Guantanamo military commission February 2004 Charges  Ali Hamza al-Bahlul (conspiracy) -  Ibrahim al-Qosi (conspiracy) August 2004 Charges  David Hicks (support) November 2005 Charges  Omar Khadr (throwing grenade),  Sufyian Barhoumi,  Ghassan al-Sharbi,  Jabran bin al-Qahtani, / Benyam Mohammed (all charges later dropped) January 2006 Charges  Abdul Zahir June 2006 Ruling All tribunals are cancelled, following Supreme Court ruling in Hamdan v. Rumsfeld that Military Commissions were unconstitutional. Future charges are under the Military Commissions Act of 2006. February 2007  David Hicks (support),  Omar Khadr (throwing grenade),  Salim Hamdan (providing support) October 2007 Charges  Mohamed Jawad (throwing grenade) January 2008 Charges  Ahmed al-Darbi (conspiracy and providing support) February 2008 Charges  Khalid Sheikh Mohammed,  Walid Bin 'Attash,  Ammar al-Baluchi (providing support), Ramzi Binalshibh (providing support),  Mustafa al-Hawsawi (providing support),  Mohamed al-Kahtani,  Ibrahim al-Qosi March 2008 Charges  Ahmed Ghailani (embassy bombings) May 2008 Charges  Noor Uthman Muhammaed (charges dropped), Sufyian Barhoumi (charges dropped),  Mohammed Kamin (rocket attack),  Jabran bin al-Qahtani (all charges later dropped) June 2008 Charges  Mohammed Hashim (launching rockets),  Benyam Mohammed (all charges later dropped) July 2008 Charges  Abdul Ghani (all charges later dropped) September 2008 Charges  Abaidullah (storing land mines) October 2008 Charges  Fouad Al Rabia,  Fayiz Al Kandari December 2008 Charges  Tariq Mahmoud Ahmed Al Sawah  Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri