AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL has defended its links with former Guantánamo detainee Moazzam Begg, who visited Ireland this week, following the suspension of a senior staff member who went public with accusations that the organisation had sullied its reputation by working with him.
The human rights group suspended its head of gender unit, Gita Sahgal, after reports detailing her criticisms of Mr Begg and his association with Amnesty appeared in the British media earlier this week.
Mr Begg was hosted by Amnesty during a visit to Ireland, and he appeared before the Oireachtas foreign affairs committee as part of a European tour to encourage more EU states to accept former Guantánamo detainees for resettlement.
According to one report, Ms Sahgal e-mailed Amnesty executives in January complaining that the relationship with Mr Begg, whom she alleged to be a Taliban sympathiser, constituted a “gross” error of judgment.
She also charged that links with what she described as Mr Begg’s “jihadi” organisation, Cageprisoners, harmed Amnesty’s reputation.
“I believe the campaign fundamentally damages Amnesty International’s integrity and, more importantly, constitutes a threat to human rights,” she wrote.
In a statement, Amnesty said it utterly rejected allegations it had a “link” to the Taliban through its work with Mr Begg.
“Moazzam Begg was released without charge from Guantánamo and has never been tried or convicted for any terrorism-related offences. Amnesty International works with him as a victim of the human rights violations he suffered in the US detention centre. [He] has spoken powerfully about his experiences there and the need for justice for the victims.”
While in Ireland, Mr Begg praised the Government, saying it had acted as a “beacon of light” for taking in two Uzbek inmates last year.