Lahcen Ikassrien was repatriated from the US detention facility at Guantanamo Bay - where he had spent four years detained without charge or trial - to Spain in July 2005 where he was immediately arrested and charged as an alleged member of Al-Qaeda. He was cleared by the High Court in Spain as the baseless case against him fell apart but, he was left destitute as he had no rights of residency and was not allowed to work following his release from prison.

 He first told his story of incarceration, which included witnessing the notorious Qala-i-Jangi massacre, to El Pais newspaper in November 2006.

 After his release he married and took up residence as a squatter in a tiny flat in Madrid. His wife is several months pregnant. His situation deteriorated when he lost his case for compensation for the time he had spent detained without charge in Guantanamo Bay or the time he spent in Spanish custody. He receives no assistance from the Spanish government and has been reliant on handouts from friends in order to survive. Despite the Spanish government recently taking in three former Guantanamo prisoners on humanitarian grounds there is a stark contradiction regarding the treatment of Ikassrien, who told Cageprisoners that he feels his situation is now ‘worse than’ when he was in Guantanamo’. Paradoxically, there is a Spanish court order stating that he should not be deported to Morocco - despite being resident in Spain for nearly two decades - as he is a witness to the torture practiced in Guantanamo Bay by the USA, whilst the investigation is ongoing.

Click here to see the video footage of Ikassrien with El Mundo as court officials arrive to give notice of eviction.

The situation for Lahcen Ikassrien has become intolerable and entirely unacceptable. 

Take Action

Please write to the authorities and human rights bodies below in order to put pressure on the Spanish government to grant Lahcen Ikassrien the right to live and work legally in Spain without prejudice or hindrance.