British Guantanamo detainee suffered 'severe depression'

The last British resident held at Guantanamo Bay prison and released last week suffered severe depression during his time in the military prison, according to a psychiatric analysis.
Shaker Aamer, who has now returned to the UK and been reunited with his family, was suffering from "severe post- traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression and anxiety", a forensic psychiatrist and neurologist concludedfollowing an examination in December, 2013.
"In addition to the psychiatric symptoms... Mr Aamer has suffered a profound disruption of his life, dignity, and personhood. His world is severely constricted, with little opportunities for autonomy and meaningful human interaction," said Dr Emily Keram, who specialises in the treatment of PTSD among former service personnel, in her report.

Keram noted that Aamer was "hyper-focused on controlling aspects of himself and his environment that he is able to influence... As an attempt to create and maintain some sense of personhood, dignity, and autonomy in conditions that erode one's sense of their humanity and self-governance", according to a 'Guardian' report.
Aamer, now 48, gave Keram a detailed account of the manner in which he had been severely mistreated while at two US detention centres in Afghanistan, and at Guantanamo, where he had been held without charge since February, 2002.
At Bagram, north of Kabul, he says he was beaten, threatened, kept naked and deprived of sleep for 11 days.

"You ask yourself: 'Are they really trying to hurt me or are they trying to help me?'" he told Keram.

"You can't tell any more. They bang your head on the wall and then they give you a hot meal," he added.
One of Aamer's lawyers, Clive Stafford Smith, has said that Aamer wants to see an open and effective inquiry into the UK's role in the rendition programme that resulted in the kidnap and torture of terrorism suspects after 9/11.
The British government shelved an inquiry that was being conducted by an appeal court judge and instead asked Westminster's intelligence and security committee to conduct an inquiry, hearing evidence in secret.