Guantánamo Diary (memoir)

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First edition (redacted)

Guantánamo Diary is a 2015 memoir[1][2] written by Mohamedou Ould Salahi, whom the United States held, without charge, for fourteen years.[3][4] Slahi was one of the few individuals held in Guantánamo Bay detention camp whom US officials acknowledged had been tortured.[5][6] The 2015 edition was heavily redacted by US intelligence officials.[7] In 2017 a "restored edition" was published with redactions removed.[8]

History[]

Salahi wrote the book in 2005 in the English he had learned largely in Guantánamo.[3] Each page had to be submitted to military censors who made 2,500 redactions before releasing the manuscript to Salahi's attorneys seven years later.[1] Editor Larry Siems edited the handwritten manuscript passed to him by Salahi's lawyers. The memoir was auctioned and published while Salahi was still being held without charge.

Many reviewers were surprised at how lacking in bitterness Salahi was since he had been subjected to brutal torture.[4]

In 2017, the book was republished with the redactions restored.[9]

Film rights[]

Further information: The Mauritanian

Movie producers bought an option on the rights to make a movie from the memoirs in June 2015.[10] Producers Lloyd Levin and Michael Bronner had previously collaborated on the films United 93 and Green Zone. In 2016 a team of producers, including Benedict Cumberbatch, came aboard.[11]

References[]

  1. ^ a b Danner, Mark (January 20, 2015). "'Guantánamo Diary,' by Mohamedou Ould Salahi". The New York Times. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  2. ^ "Mohamedou Ould Salahi's Guantánamo Diary". Guantanamo Diary. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  3. ^ a b Flood, Alison (2014-08-12). "Guantánamo prisoner to publish 'harrowing' memoirs". The Guardian. Retrieved 2015-01-17.
  4. ^ a b "Blame game: After years of legal wrangling, Mohamedou Ould Salahi's prison diary finally comes out. A sad and sickening read". The Economist. 2015-01-31. Retrieved 2015-02-07.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. ^ Larry Siems (2013-05-01). "He Reminded Me of Forrest Gump". Slate magazine. Retrieved 2017-06-10.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. ^ (2013-04-30). "Guantánamo Memoirs: Part One". Slate magazine. Retrieved 2015-01-17.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  7. ^ Mohamedou Ould Salahi (2015). Siems, Larry (ed.). Guantanamo Diary. Canongate. ISBN 9781782112846. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  8. ^ Mohamedou Ould Salahi (2017). Siems, Larry (ed.). Guantanamo Diary (Restored ed.). New York: Little, Brown & Co. ISBN 9780316517881. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  9. ^ Salahi, Mohamedou Ould (October 23, 2017). "My Guantánamo Diary, Uncensored". American Civil Liberties Union. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
  10. ^ Mike Fleming (2015-06-02). "Movie Deal For 'Guantanamo Diary', Terror Suspect's Tale Of 14-Year Prison Stretch Despite No Charges Or Trial". Deadline magazine. Retrieved 2017-06-10. Lloyd Levin and Michael Bronner, who were producers on those films, intend to bring to the screen the story of a suspected terrorist who has been incarcerated at that detention camp since 2002, without ever being charged with a crime or having the opportunity to defend himself in court.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  11. ^ Anita Busch (2016-04-11). "Benedict Cumberbatch Comes Aboard 'Guantanamo Diary' As Producer". Deadline magazine. Retrieved 2017-06-10. Benedict Cumberbatch, Adam Ackland and their company SunnyMarch have come aboard to produce Guantanamo Diary along with ZeroGravity’s Mark Holder and Christine Holder.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
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