By PAUL GULLY

Managing Editor

Doris Tennant, an experienced U.S. lawyer representing a detainee being held at Guantanamo Bay, spoke before approximately 100 Oakland University students and faculty members at the third annual Global Security Forum on Friday, April, 4.

In a lecture entitled “Guantanamo: Why Should We Care?” Tennant, a Boston College Law School graduate, shared her presonal experience representing Abdul Aziz Naji, an Algerian who was captured in Pakistan while doing Muslim missionary work.

Though she is neither a criminal or Constitutional lawyer and lacks the financial backing from a large law firm as many lawyers defending detainees do, Tennant made the decision to defend Naji “because of her lifelong commitment to human rights.”

“Not being a Constitutional law scholar I, at first, thought would be an impediment, but little did I know how little the Constitution matters to the people [running] Guantanamo Bay,” Tennant said.

Tennant also presented an extensive PowerPoint presentation detailing the recent history and decisions concerning Guantanamo Bay.

Many of the PowerPoint slides displayed rulings and legal decisions authorizing, what Tennant characterized as, torture, violating the standards set forth by the Geneva Convention.  

She expounded on, what she considered, the unfair, unlawful treatment of prisoners, citing their lack of rights, especially when pertaining to legal defense.

According to Tennant, requests for witnesses are rarely granted and anything a detainee says to their legal representation can be used against them in later preceedings.

Tennant said it costs her and her law partner nearly $20,000 per year to represent Naji, with much of it coming out of their pockets. Tennant and her partner have raised financial

contributions to help with the costs.

There is also no pay or financial reward for lawyers who represent detainees, according to Tennant.

Following her lecture, for which she recieved a standing ovation, Tennant answered a few questions from the audience, many concerning the current administration and its alleged abuses of power.

Tennant shared a bleak outlook. “I have learned more about my government than I ever wanted to know,” she said.

“Our top U.S. officials have forgotten their responisibility to protect American lives and ideals.”

The Global Security Forum was sponsored by the College of Arts and Sciences, with the support of several other student organizations and departments.