Joshua Colangelo-Bryan - "Through the Gates of Hell" - Seema Ahmad

Joshua Colangelo-Bryan will discuss Through the Gates of Hell: American Injustice at Guantanamo Bay. He will be joined in conversation by Seema Ahmad.

RSVP Here — please note that your RSVP is requested but not required. 

At the Co-op. 

About the book: Through the Gates of Hell is a powerful account of an unlikely friendship within the walls of Guantanamo Bay, and of what it takes to fight for human rights in the post–9/11 era. It recounts Colangelo-Bryan’s experience as an American attorney representing Jaber Muhammed, a detainee there who was among those branded by Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfield as the “most dangerous, best-trained, vicious killers on the face of the earth.” Despite the dehumanizing conditions of the detention center, the two men forge a profound bond in their shared pursuit of justice—offering a rare, human perspective from inside one of the world’s most controversial detention sites.

About the author: Joshua Colangelo-Bryan is Special Counsel at Human Rights First, where he spearheads innovative impact litigation and advocacy efforts to advance international human rights, uphold democratic principles, and support defenders of human rights globally. For over 20 years, his practice has focused on human rights, civil rights, and national security matters, including representing six now-released Guantanamo Bay detainees and serving as counsel to peaceful protestors who were attacked in 2017 by Turkish security agents in Washington, D.C. He also conducts human rights investigations in countries such as Yemen, Syria, and Bahrain, and defends parties named in Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation, including clients advocating for Palestinian rights and religious pluralism in India. Josh previously served with the United Nations Mission in Kosovo, working on the prosecution of war crimes cases and serving as a liaison to Yugoslav and Serbian officials.

About the interlocutor: Seema Ahmad is a federal public defender and lawyer.