Mohamedou Ould Slahi’s Guantánamo Diary, the first-hand account of his inhumane treatment as a prisoner at the Guantánamo Bay detention center, created a sensation when it was published in January 2015. Though heavily redacted by government censors, Slahi’s story of enduring humanity in the face of extreme hatred and suffering raised the level of discourse concerning our use of torture, approaches to addressing terrorism, Muslim identity, and other issues with which our students, citizens, and leaders struggle. Following a unanimous decision by the Periodic Review Board that assessed Mohamedou Ould Slah's detention, he was released (without ever having been charged with a crime) home to Mauritania on October 17, 2016.
In October of 2017, the updated version of the original memoir, Guantánamo Diary: Restored Edition, was released, incorporating a new introduction by Slahi and with government redactions "restored."
ND Forum Event and Campus-wide Read: The Center for Civil and Human Rights is now organizing a campus-wide event with Slahi, allowing the Notre Dame community to engage with him live (videoconferenced from Mauritania). This ND Forum event will also include Larry Siems, the editor of Guantánamo Diary, and Juan Méndez, current UN Special Rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.
The Notre Dame community is also being encouraged to read Guantánamo Diary: Restored Edition in advance, making this a campus-wide reading event. The Center for Social Concerns will host facilitated Discussion Circles of the book on Friday, January 26, 4:00-5:30 p.m. in Geddes Hall. The small group discussions will be followed by a conversation with Larry Siems.
More information on the January 28 event can be found here.