Mohamedou Ould Slahi reads his letter to a political prisoner, introduced by Benedict Cumberbatch

On the 4th of August, 2002, 31-year-old Mohamedou Ould Slahi was flown to Guantanamo Bay detention camp, the military prison in Cuba which has been used to detain and torture hundreds of people since being established in the wake of 9/11. Slahi was held without charge for an unimaginable 14 years, during which time he was forced to endure physical beatings, sleep deprivation, solitary confinement, sexual humiliation, starvation, and on one occasion a mock execution. A year before his 2016 release, his unflinching and profoundly important memoir, Guantanamo Diary, was published to wide acclaim.
That story was brought to the big screen in The Mauritanian, a film starring Benedict Cumberbatch, who here introduces Mohamedou Ould Slahi to read a letter of his own, written to a political prisoner at Letters Live at London's Roundhouse in July 2021.

[@mahyel-hediny5461]

I wonder if he still sees hope after such hard time! May Allah bless him and all lonely prisoners

[@Ashleii]

Have you seen the documentary with him and his guard who converted to Islam and visited him in Mauritania ? He had hope of jannah .. what other hope is needed

[@mahyel-hediny5461]

@@Ashleii No, I didn't see it. Thank you so much, I'll search for it.

[@clarejones2421]

@@Ashleii I watched it today I came across it after I saw his interview with Jordan Peterson 🥹

[@1rjbrjb]

Over time, I have come to believe that Bush & Cheney should be in the dock for their actions. This was not an easy path for me as I was swept up in the hysteria over 9/11. I'd voted for Reagan twice (later for Obama twice) so I was susceptible to jingoism. The American economic and military edge was bled away (our nuclear forces were disgracefully degraded under Bush). Our reputation was marred for all time. Our finest citizens were killed, maimed or traumatized. Hundreds of thousands of Afghans and Iraqis died. Torture was the cherry on top. It's bad enough as a deviation from policy, it is unconscionable as policy. These smug, wealthy men should be in adjoining cells. The senior brass was complicit. What an unmitigated disaster. What a disgrace. My patriotism has been hollowed out, rendered bitter in my mouth. Oddly, I am more forgiving of Blair. He was profoundly mistaken. The Bush people were megalomaniacs.

[@abadatha]

Obama had 8 years to pull out of the wars for oil and opium too. The end of the wars is probably the only big thing the Biden administration will do that I agree with that isn't appointing Associate Justice Jackson.

[@Ashleii]

I have to say that reading this is very heartwarming and deserves a reply to say that you are respected for your courage to remove the veil . It is excruciatingly difficult. These people will NEVER Be brought to justice in this world. The crimes are too great and never ending From genocide of native Americans to debt slavery and puppet regimes, the UK and USA, as leaders, and powers, are truly scum of the Earth. Anyway we have an absolute truth that we know and that is that the nature of falsehood is that it will inevitably be exposed and so perish, And when that happens (not in this world but the hereafter) then true and fair justice will be done .

[@tubetaz]

Hi, I read your comment with great interest and I find myself agreeing with every word, except the bit about Blair. With the greatest of respect, I believe he should be tried for Crimes against Humanity. Americans please open your eyes, minds, and hearts to what is going on around the world because of US foreign policy. Who made America the Policeman of the World? Indeed who police's the Policeman?

[@1rjbrjb]

@@tubetaz Thank you for the discerning and friendly reply. I am ambivalent about PM Blair because so many of our allies were caught up in the reaction to 9/11. I still think Bush & Cheney were the responsible parties. "Policeman of the world". Well, so many countries have enabled America and accommodated our sprawling military. Americans might have interpreted that as at least ratification. Now we're playing nuclear chicken with Putin. Deeply, deeply troubling.

[@oo0Spyder0oo]

The triumvirate of Bush, Blair and Howard should have faced a war crimes tribunal, they misled and fabricated a phoney war and caused many deaths. No wonder we have terrorism when the people who lost their kids to their bombs seek retribution, as I would if I lost family.

[@1991jdclark]

I just watched the movie. This man's ability for humour and kindness was unwavering. Such an injustice towards him and others.

[@Nomoredrama2000]

The face touching 😍😭 And that speech! 👏

[@luminair11]

Thank you for sharing!

[@jimmyfigueras4476]

So touching. He is a hero. I cried watching “The Mauritanian”, the cruelty in that movie is shown in a very realistic way and it gets under your skin because there are other torture and prison movies that aren’t that hard to watch like “Camp X-Ray”.

[@fah79]

But for the first time, I see hope.

[@21centdregs]

listen to the episode of This American Life "an invitation to tea" about mohamedou and his captors for further details. it's very nuanced, painful and well worth a listen.

[@oldzoot]

It's an utter outrage that the war criminals responsible for this horror are still free men. United States of Hypocrisy.

[@ric05369]

praying for you

[@Verculies]

What about our presidents, generals and their war crimes ? Oh wait it doesn't matter since it's us doing the damage right? War is war, there are no laws fam

[@sjs9698]

@@ric05369 shush. guantanimo is *at best* a systemic & cold-hearted human rights violation & those responsible are *without exception* guilty of crimes against humanity, against reason, against compassion & against justice. & it is absolutely an outrage that such crimes may go unpunished for a day, let alone decades.

[@rev.rachel]

Incredibly moving. No one should have to endure what these prisoners have endured, no matter who they are or what they have done.

[@sjs9698]

& of course especially when they have comitted no crime. no doubt what happened to them would be a horror if they were guilty of some crime, but given that most were never tried and/or never accused of a crime, nor found guilty of any...

[@Th-vy8ut]

Perfect movie, perfect actors. I am happy know the Mauretanian.

[@zippymacadoo6336]

My government is very scary at times. I simply can't imagine.

[@rotempeer-raviv4859]

I love how excited Benedict was.

[@Liweiyang43]

Ok,so he can travel now..after sufferance he is here with success

[@ronnie-being-ronnie]

The first time I voted, I voted for Jimmy Carter. His opponent won. Reagan and HW Bush were the beginning of an era that I somehow knew was coming. The first time I saw them standing together, I thought, for no discernible reason, “War.” A feeling. Like my very soul was frozen. Reagan waged war on a tiny and weak nation. They propped up Iraq against Iran, in that war. Bush, the elder, waged his Kuwait war on Iraq, as the Kuwaitis stole resources from Iraq. I watched in horror as Bush, the younger monster, and his monstrous handler, Cheney, took us into more than a decade of war on a lie after lie. And I watched in stress and dismay as these men led my nation into crimes against humanity. Torture. Illegal detentions and renditions. I was nauseated by my fellow Americans who cheered like they were rooting for a football team as people died and suffered… How many deaths and how much suffering these men own. I have no sympathy for actual terrorists. None. Whatever point they intend to make is left buried under the blood of their deeds. And these leaders who were and are, behind the facade of legitimacy of state power, terrorists in their own right should have to face the world in shame. The end of evil is to simply choose not to do it. Can we try that, people? Please?

[@sjs9698]

'And these leaders who were and are, behind the facade of legitimacy of state power, terrorists in their own right should have to face the world in shame.' absolutely. & re your suggestion/request. i would like that very much, but capitalism basically forbids it :s

[@gbarbecue2399]

They can dress it up all they like but it's still torture.

[@procinctu1]

Allegedly

[@lazovkalazovovska5119]

BTW: WHAT IS THIS LETTERS LIVE OR FIVE :))) PROJECT VIA YOU TUBE INDEED???

[@annieseaside]

Slahi traveled from his home in Germany to Afghanistan in December 1990 "to support the mujahideen."[5]: 4  Slahi trained in an al Qaeda camp and swore allegiance to the organization in March 1991. He returned to Germany soon after, but traveled back to Afghanistan for two months in early 1992. Chose your allegiances with care and expect consequences of your decisions.

[@crystalt681]

The CIA trained Al Qaidah to fight against the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. It was 1990-1992 when Slahi trained SIDE BY SIDE with the US military WITH AlQaidah to fight against the Russians. So ‘choose your side’? Maybe get informed and stop being an ignorant sheep.

[@lazovkalazovovska5119]

IGNORANCE!!!

[@davidauerbach2626]

I wonder about the people he murdered ,minded this bull shit

[@lazovkalazovovska5119]

HILARIOUS???

[@lazovkalazovovska5119]

SHALL I LEAVE OR WILL SMITH WILL PUNCH ME IN FACE VIA INTRENET??? :)))

[@refisaaprilia2694]

This is benedict Cumberbatch today? April, 10th? Seriously? Why? I mean.. Why ben? You look great when u getting chubby and with nice hair like in bafta 2022 or maybe in Oscars 2015 thats another level of beautiful Cumberbatch.. And now omg i cant believe it.. I still love u but.. I like u when you chubby thats more better maybe

[@bloodisfrightening1203]

To Refisa Aprilia You shouldn’t have the privilege to say things like this in public. Really you should be smart enough to *know* that you shouldn’t say things like this in public. Are you seriously saying that this man you don’t know, this man you have no connection to, should look different? That’s……well that’s just incredibly stupid……I can’t remember the word I want to call you right now. I won’t remember this comment so I will never be able to tell you the exact word. But I *can* tell you what the word means. You’re an incredibly self entitled fool who needs to be quiet more often. Love, Someone with common decency

[@CarlOttersen]

Is that all you have to say?