Guantanamo detainees' appeals in Washington, D.C., courts

Guantanamo Bay detainees have been allowed to initiate appeals in Washington, D.C., courts since the passage of the Detainee Treatment Act of 2005 (DTA) closed off the right of Guantanamo captives to submit new petitions of habeas corpus. It substituted a right to a limited appeal to Federal Courts of appeal in Washington, D.C.<ref name=WashingtonPost20071222> {{cite news | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/21/AR2007122101392.html | title=Detainee Evidence Probe Weighed: Judge Told Guantanamo Information May Have Been Destroyed | page=Page A02 | newspaper=Washington Post | first=Carol D.|last= Leonnig|author-link=Carol D. Leonnig | date= December 22, 2007 | accessdate=2008-01-06 }}</ref> The Act allowed detainees to challenge whether their Combatant Status Review Tribunals had correctly followed the rules laid out by the Department of Defense.

After the passage of the Military Commissions Act of 2006 (MCA) closed down the pending habeas corpus cases, attorneys for the detainees initiated both a challenge to the constitutionality of the MCA's stripping of the right to habeas corpus; and they started initiating the appeals in the DC Federal Courts of appeal allowed by the DTA.

==June 2008 rulings==

On June 12, 2008, in ''Boumediene v. Bush'', the United States Supreme Court ruled the Combatant Status Review Tribunals provided the detainees with insufficient protection, and re-opened the detainees' access to file habeas corpus.

On June 23, 2008, a three judge panel reviewed the evidence used to justify Parhat's designation as an "enemy combatant" and ruled that he had never been an enemy combatant after all.<ref name=Wapo20080623> {{cite news |url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/23/AR2008062300844.html |title = Appeals court rules for Guantanamo prisoner |newspaper = Washington Post |first = James |last = Vicini |author-link = James Vicini |date = June 23, 2008 |accessdate = 2008-06-23 |url-status = dead |archiveurl = https://archive.today/20080623172915/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/23/AR2008062300844.html |archivedate = June 23, 2008 }} </ref><ref name=McClatchyParhat20080623> {{cite news |url=http://www.mcclatchydc.com/homepage/story/41907.html |title=In first, court rejects military's ruling in Guantanamo case |publisher=McClatchy News Service |date=June 23, 2008 |accessdate=2008-06-23 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080628173040/http://www.mcclatchydc.com/homepage/story/41907.html |archivedate=June 28, 2008 }} </ref><ref name=Iht20080623> {{cite news | url=http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/06/23/america/NA-GEN-US-Guantanamo-Chinese-Muslim.php | title=US appeals court rejects classification of Chinese Muslim as an enemy combatant | publisher=International Herald Tribune | date=June 23, 2008 | accessdate=2008-06-23 | quote= }} </ref><ref name=ParhatRuling20080630> {{cite news | url=http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/06/30/snark-injection-for-guantanamo-trial/?hp | title=Snark Injection for Guantanamo Trial | work=New York Times | first=Mike|last=Nizza|author-link=Mike Nizza | date=2008-06-30 | accessdate=2008-06-30 | quote= }}</ref><ref name=NewYorkTimesLede20080630> {{cite news | url=http://pacer.cadc.uscourts.gov/common/opinions/200806/06-1397-1124487.pdf | title=Huzaifa Parhat v. Gates | publisher=United States Department of Justice | author=Merrick B. Garland | author-link=Merrick B. Garland | date=2008-06-30 | accessdate=2008-06-30 | quote= }}</ref><ref name=NewYorkTimesGlaberson20080630> {{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/01/washington/01gitmo.html?hp | title=Court Is Skeptical of U.S. Evidence in Guantánamo Case | work=New York Times | first=William|last=Glaberson|author-link=William Glaberson | date=2008-06-30 | accessdate=2008-06-30 | quote= }}</ref>

==Bush Presidency response==

On July 21, 2008, United States Attorney General Michael Mukasey called on the Congress to pass legislation controlling how judges would review the detainees' habeas petitions.<ref name=Reuters20080721>{{cite news |url = https://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSN2140857120080721 |title = Bush law chief seeks war declaration on al Qaeda |publisher = Reuters |author = |date = 2008-07-21 |accessdate = 2008-07-21 |quote = |archive-date = 2022-06-11 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220611160209/https://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSN2140857120080721?sp=true |url-status = live }}</ref><ref name=NYTimes20080722> {{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/22/washington/22justice.html?_r=1&hp=&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&adxnnlx=1216667611-VUzbXoMuUhzCHuHUYeD0GQ | title=Administration Calls for Action on Detainees | work=New York Times | first=Eric|last=Lichblau|author-link=Eric Lichtblau | date=2008-07-22 | accessdate=2008-07-21 | quote= }}</ref><ref name=LATimes20080721> {{cite news | url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/presidentbush/2008/07/guantanamo-muka.html | title=In key Gitmo case, Mukasey stays on White House path | work=Los Angeles Times | first=James|last=Gerstenzang|author-link=James Gerstenzang | date=2008-07-21 | accessdate=2008-07-21 | quote= }}</ref> Mukasey was seeking to have the legislation control what evidence should be made public, and to proscribe releasing any of the detainees within the USA.

==January 2009 ruling==

On January 9, 2009, Douglas H. Ginsburg, writing for the panel, ruled that the court would not hear any additional DTA appeals.<ref name=AP2009-01-09> {{cite news |url = https://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gUxng-zkl2uhqdCATFQyY9_8QV3QD95JRBH00 |title = Court: no review of enemy combatant designation |agency = Associated Press |date = 2009-01-09 |accessdate = 2009-01-09 |url-status = dead |archiveurl = https://archive.today/20240524080248/https://www.webcitation.org/5dhxa1mLD?url=http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gUxng-zkl2uhqdCATFQyY9_8QV3QD95JRBH00 |archivedate = 2024-05-24 }} </ref>

{{quote|Had the Congress known its attempts to eliminate the habeas jurisdiction of the district courts would come to naught, it would not have turned around and created an additional and largely duplicative process by which a detainee could challenge his detention in the court of appeals.<ref name=AP2009-01-09/>}}

==Detainees who filed appeals in federal court== {| class="wikitable sortable" ! ISN !! Name !! Case !! Notes |- | 103 || Arkin Mahmud || || By August 18, 2008, an unclassified return prepared in response to a 2007 DTA appeal.<ref name=UyghurJointStatusReport-2008-08-18/> |- | 252 || Yasin Mohammed Basardah {{sic}} || || On November 5, 2008, the panel suspended his appeal on jurisdictional grounds.<ref name=TheJurist2008-11-06> {{cite news |url = http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/paperchase/2008/11/dc-circuit-suspends-status-review-for.php |title = DC Circuit suspends status review for Yemeni held at Guantanamo |publisher = The Jurist |first = Andrew |last = Morgan |date = 2008-11-05 |accessdate = 2008-09-28 |url-status = dead |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20090508122729/http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/paperchase/2008/11/dc-circuit-suspends-status-review-for.php |archivedate = 2009-05-08 }} </ref><ref name=DCSuspension2008-11-04> {{cite news |url = http://www.scotusblog.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/basardh-ruling-ca-11-4-08.pdf |title = Yasin Muhammed Basardh, (ISN 252), Petitioner v. Robert M. Gates, U.S. Secretary of Defense |publisher = United States Department of Justice |date = 2008-11-04 |accessdate = 2008-11-07 |url-status = dead |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20081106212922/http://www.scotusblog.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/basardh-ruling-ca-11-4-08.pdf |archivedate = 2008-11-06 }} </ref><ref name=Scotusblog2008-11-04>{{cite news |url=http://www.scotusblog.com/wp/circuit-court-dta-process-is-probably-dead/ |title=Circuit Court: DTA process is probably dead |publisher=Scotusblog |author=Lyle Denniston |author-link=Lyle Denniston |date=2008-11-04 |accessdate=2008-11-07 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081106202128/http://www.scotusblog.com/wp/circuit-court-dta-process-is-probably-dead/ |archivedate=November 6, 2008 }} </ref> |- | 275 || Abdul Sabour {{sic}} || || By August 18, 2008, an unclassified return prepared in response to a 2007 DTA appeal.<ref name=UyghurJointStatusReport-2008-08-18/> |- | 277 || Bahtiyar Mahnut || || By August 18, 2008, an unclassified return prepared in response to a 2007 DTA appeal.<ref name=UyghurJointStatusReport-2008-08-18/> |- | 278 || Abdul Nasser {{sic}} || || By August 18, 2008, both unclassified and classified returns prepared in response to a 2007 DTA appeal.<ref name=UyghurJointStatusReport-2008-08-18/> |- | 280 || Khalid Ali || || By August 18, 2008, both unclassified and classified returns prepared in response to a 2007 DTA appeal.<ref name=UyghurJointStatusReport-2008-08-18/> |- | 281 || Abdul Ghappar Abdul Rahman || || By August 18, 2008, both unclassified and classified returns prepared in response to a 2007 DTA appeal.<ref name=UyghurJointStatusReport-2008-08-18/> |- | 282 || Sabir Osman {{sic}} || || By August 18, 2008, both unclassified and classified returns prepared in response to a 2007 DTA appeal.<ref name=UyghurJointStatusReport-2008-08-18/> |- | 285 || Jalal Jalaldin {{sic}} || || By August 18, 2008, both unclassified and classified returns prepared in response to a 2007 DTA appeal.<ref name=UyghurJointStatusReport-2008-08-18/> |- | 288 || Motai Saib {{sic}} || || On May 16, 2007, Saib filed a Petition for Release and Other Relief Under Detainee Treatment Act of 2005 ("DTA Petition").<ref name=Justia-08-442> {{cite web | url=http://dockets.justia.com/docket/court-dcdce/case_no-1:2008mc00442/case_id-131990/ | title=In re: Guantanamo Bay Detainee Litigation | publisher=United States Department of Justice | author= | date=2008-07-02 | accessdate=2008-09-28 | quote= }} </ref><ref name=Cv08-0442Doc102> {{cite web |url = http://docs.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/district-of-columbia/dcdce/1%3A2008mc00442/131990/102/0.pdf |title = Guantanamo Bay Detainee Litigation: Doc 102 -- Status Report for Petitioner Motai Saib (ISN 288) |publisher = United States Department of Justice |author = Danielle R. Voorhees |author-link = Danielle R. Voorhees |date = 2008-07-18 |accessdate = 2008-08-21 |url-status = dead |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20110917102246/http://docs.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/district-of-columbia/dcdce/1:2008mc00442/131990/102/0.pdf |archivedate = 2011-09-17 }} </ref> In light of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Boumediene, Respondents filed a motion to hold the DTA Petition in abeyance, or in the alternative, to dismiss the DTA Petition, pending the conclusion of his Habeas Petition. Saib has filed a response stating that he does not oppose the abeyance of the DTA Petition, but does oppose dismissal of the DTA Petition. |- | 295 || Abdul Semet {{sic}} || || By August 18, 2008, both unclassified and classified returns prepared in response to a 2007 DTA appeal.<ref name=UyghurJointStatusReport-2008-08-18/> |- | 320 || Hozaifa Parhat || ''Parhat v. Gates'' || On June 23, 2008, a three judge panel reviewed the evidence used to justify Parhat's designation as an "enemy combatant" and ruled that he had never been an enemy combatant after all. |- | 328 || Hammad Memet {{sic}} || || By August 18, 2008, both unclassified and classified returns prepared in response to a 2007 DTA appeal.<ref name=UyghurJointStatusReport-2008-08-18/> |- | 433 || Jawad Jabbar Sadkhan Al-Sahlani || Case No. 07-1149 || Jawad also has a Petition under the Detainee Treatment Act of 2005 ("DTA") pending in the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, Case No. 07-1149.<ref name="Justia-08-442"/><ref name=Cv08-0442Doc149> {{cite web |url = http://docs.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/district-of-columbia/dcdce/1%3A2008mc00442/131990/149/0.pdf |title = Guantanamo Bay Detainee Litigation: Doc 149 -- Petitioner Jawad Jabbar Sadkhan Al-Sahlani's Status Report |publisher = United States Department of Justice |first = Jeffrey D. |last = Colman |author-link = Jeffrey D. Colman |date = 2008-07-18 |accessdate = 2008-08-16 |url-status = dead |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20111002055400/http://docs.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/district-of-columbia/dcdce/1:2008mc00442/131990/149/0.pdf |archivedate = 2011-10-02 }} </ref> On June 21, 2007, Jawad filed a classified Motion for Production and Protective Order requesting two specific categories of exculpatory evidence known to be in the Government's possession and now sought in this habeas corpus action. This motion has been fully briefed in the Court of Appeals since July 9, 2007, and the Government continues to refuse to produce clearly exculpatory evidence. The Government asked that Jawad's DTA action be stayed. Jawad opposed this request, noting that the Supreme Court has held that "both the DTA and the CSRT process remain intact". ''Boumediene v. Bush'', 533 U.S. ___, slip op. at 66 (June 12, 2008). |- | 584 || Adel Noori || || no factual returns, other than one through a Freedom of Information Act request filed by the Associated Press.<ref name=UyghurJointStatusReport-2008-08-18/> |- | 684 || Mohammed Abdullah Taha Mattan || || On July 18, 2008, Sozi P. Tulante filed a Status Report that states a DTA appeal was initiated on his behalf.<ref name=Cv08-0442Doc95> {{cite web |url = http://docs.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/district-of-columbia/dcdce/1%3A2008mc00442/131990/95/0.pdf |title = Guantanamo Bay Detainee Litigation: Doc 95 -- status report |publisher = United States Department of Justice |first = Sozi P. |last = Tulante |author-link = Sozi P. Tulante |date = 2008-08-18 |accessdate = 2008-08-22 |url-status = dead |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20120214143642/http://docs.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/district-of-columbia/dcdce/1:2008mc00442/131990/95/0.pdf |archivedate = 2012-02-14 }} </ref> By August 18, 2008, both unclassified and classified returns prepared in response to a 2007 DTA appeal.<ref name=UyghurJointStatusReport-2008-08-18> {{cite web |url = http://s3.amazonaws.com/propublica/assets/detention/gitmo/uighurs_aug2008_status_report.pdf |title = Uyghur joint status report (2008-08-18) |publisher = United States Department of Justice |date = 2008-08-18 |first = Andrew I. |last = Warden |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20091016014048/http://s3.amazonaws.com/propublica/assets/detention/gitmo/uighurs_aug2008_status_report.pdf |archivedate = 2009-10-16 |url-status = dead }} {{wikisource-inline|Uyghur joint status report (2008-08-18)}} </ref> |- | 841 || Hani Saleh Rashid Abdullah {{sic}} || || On July 18, 2008, Charles H. Carpenter (American lawyer) filed a Status Report where he wrote that Abdullah had a DTA appeal filed on his behalf.<ref name=Cv08-0442Doc99> {{cite web |url = http://docs.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/district-of-columbia/dcdce/1%3A2008mc00442/131990/99/0.pdf |title = Guantanamo Bay Detainee Litigation: Doc 99 -- notice of filing of his Status Report for Hani Saleh Rashid Abdullah |publisher = United States Department of Justice |first = Charles H. |last = Carpenter |author-link = Charles H. Carpenter (American lawyer) |date = 2008-08-18 |accessdate = 2008-08-21 |url-status = dead |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20120214143558/http://docs.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/district-of-columbia/dcdce/1:2008mc00442/131990/99/0.pdf |archivedate = 2012-02-14 }} </ref><ref name=Cv08-0442Doc173>{{cite web |url = http://docs.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/district-of-columbia/dcdce/1:2008mc00442/131990/173/0.pdf |title = Guantanamo Bay Detainee Litigation: Doc 173 -- STATUS REPORT FOR HANI SALEH RASHID ABDULLAH |publisher = United States Department of Justice |first = Charles H. |last = Carpenter |author-link = Charles H. Carpenter (American lawyer) |date = 2008-07-22 |accessdate = 2008-12-06 |quote = |archive-date = 2011-10-02 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20111002055319/http://docs.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/district-of-columbia/dcdce/1:2008mc00442/131990/173/0.pdf |url-status = dead }}</ref> |- | 968 || Bismullah || ''Bismullah v. Gates'' || Bismullah's case has been the subject of multiple filings as to the scope that detainees' attorneys should be given to the material behind the summarized allegation.<ref name=WashingtonPost20070912> {{cite news | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/11/AR2007091102678.html | title=Intelligence Chiefs Back A Guantanamo Reversal | first=Carol D. |last= Leonnig |author-link=Carol D. Leonnig | newspaper=Washington Post | date= September 12, 2007 | page=A05 | accessdate=2007-09-18 }}</ref><ref name=Scotusblog20070510> {{cite news |url=http://www.scotusblog.com/wp/commentary-and-analysis/new-developments-on-detainees/ |date=May 10, 2007 |title=New developments on detainees |first=Lyle |last=Denniston |author-link=Lyle Denniston |publisher=Scotusblog |accessdate=2007-09-18 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071005022354/http://www.scotusblog.com/wp/commentary-and-analysis/new-developments-on-detainees/ |archivedate=October 5, 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name=ScottusBlogBismullah20070901> {{cite news |publisher=Scotusblog |url=http://www.scotusblog.com/wp/uncategorized/government-to-seek-bismullah-rehearing/ |date=September 1, 2007 |title=Government to seek Bismullah rehearing |first=Lyle|last=Denniston |author-link=Lyle Denniston |accessdate=2007-09-18 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071005040945/http://www.scotusblog.com/wp/uncategorized/government-to-seek-bismullah-rehearing/ |archivedate=October 5, 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name=ScottusBlogBismullah20070907> {{cite news |url=http://www.scotusblog.com/wp/new-filings/us-mounts-sweeping-challenge-to-circuit-court/ |title=U.S. mounts sweeping challenge to Circuit Court |publisher=Scotusblog |first=Lyle |last=Denniston |author-link=Lyle Denniston |date=September 7, 2007 |accessdate=2008-01-06 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080104000327/http://www.scotusblog.com/wp/new-filings/us-mounts-sweeping-challenge-to-circuit-court/ |archivedate=January 4, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name=ScottusBlogBismullah20071003> {{cite news |url=http://www.scotusblog.com/wp/uncategorized/government-duty-in-detainee-cases-narrowed/ |title=Government duty in detainee cases narrowed |publisher=Scotusblog |first=Lyle |last=Denniston |author-link=Lyle Denniston |date=October 3, 2007 |accessdate=2008-01-06 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080104010635/http://www.scotusblog.com/wp/uncategorized/government-duty-in-detainee-cases-narrowed/ |archivedate=January 4, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> |- | 975 || Karim Bostan {{sic}} || || On July 18, 2008 when Michael Caruso re-initiated Bostan's habeas petition he stated that he had an outstanding DTA appeal.<ref name=Cv08-0442Doc132>{{cite web | url=http://docs.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/district-of-columbia/dcdce/1:2008mc00442/131990/132/0.pdf | title=Guantanamo Bay Detainee Litigation: Doc 132 -- Civil No. 05-883, Karim Bostan's Status Report | publisher=United States Department of Justice | first=Michael | last=Caruso | date=2008-07-18 | accessdate=2008-08-18 | quote= | author-link=Michael Caruso (attorney) | archive-date=2012-02-25 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120225022819/http://docs.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/district-of-columbia/dcdce/1:2008mc00442/131990/132/0.pdf | url-status=dead }}</ref> |- | 10020 || Majid Khan || || The government's position that Khan may not use in his habeas case presumptively classified information obtained in connection with his DTA case stands in direct contrast to the position taken by the government in other Guantanamo detainee habeas cases.<ref name=Cv08-0442Doc238>{{cite web | url=http://docs.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/district-of-columbia/dcdce/1:2008mc00442/131990/238/0.pdf | title=Guantanamo Bay Detainee Litigation: Doc 238 -- Motion for Order directing the Court Security Office to file supplemental status report | publisher=United States Department of Justice | first=J. Wells | last=Dixon | author-link=J. Wells Dixon | date=2008-08-01 | accessdate=2010-04-14 | quote= | archive-date=2012-09-20 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120920014239/http://docs.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/district-of-columbia/dcdce/1:2008mc00442/131990/238/0.pdf | url-status=dead }}</ref> See, e.g., Resp'ts' Resp. to Uighur Pet'rs' Motion to Use CSRTs Provided in DTA Action in this Case at 1-2, In re Guantanamo Bay Detainee Litigation, Misc. No. 08-442 (TFH) (D.D.C. filed August 1, 2008) (dkt. no. 228) ("Subject to adherence to the standard protective orders entered in each of the habeas cases, respondents agree that these petitioners may use the classified CSRT records already filed in their DTA action here in their habeas cases, as long as that is done in a manner consistent with the protective orders."). |}

==References== {{Reflist}}

Category:United States habeas corpus case law *