Public Education - The International Program

International Visitors

Developing nations, especially ones with emerging or fledgling democracies, look to America to study its institutions, laws and the ingenious balance of powers created by our Founding Fathers. Through various programs sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP), delegates from these nations visit the United States and are put into contact with organizations like Judicial Watch.  Since 2001, Judicial Watch has been a major participant in the Department of State’s IVLP and other leadership exchange programs, having received over 83 visiting delegations.  As the premier Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) litigator in America today, Judicial Watch is one of the most sought after transparency and accountability organizations for personal meetings with emerging leaders from around the world who are interested in learning how they can stop corruption and demand accountability from their judges, government officials, and political parties.

The United Nations Department of Global Communications

The United Nations Department of Global Communications hosts monthly briefings and other workshops and an annual conference where representatives of NGOs from every corner of the world come together for the purpose of networking and collaborating on solutions to some of the world’s most challenging problems, from security issues such as crime and violence, hunger and disease, persecution and war, to major development issues of education, job opportunities, and women’s empowerment.

Judicial Watch is associated with the United Nations Department of Global Communications (UN DGC) as a nongovernmental organization whose mission is to promote transparency, accountability and integrity in government, politics and the law. It fulfills its educational mission through litigation, investigations, and public outreach. Its International Program serves as an integral part of its educational program.

Judicial Watch GTMO Observer Program

Judicial Watch was granted observer status by the Pentagon to observe the arraignment of Khalid Sheikh Mohammad at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in June of 2008. Since the recommencement of the 9/11 hearings at Guantanamo Bay in November 2011, JW has attended 95 percent of the hearings held at the detention facility, as well as Periodic Review Board Proceedings (PRBs) currently held at the Pentagon. Judicial Watch staff and representatives have attended and monitored over 256 hearings to date.

See ARCHIVE section HERE.

Hearing Summaries

ISN 10015 Abd Al Rahim Hussein Muhammed Abdu Al Nashiri (“Nashiri”) 

January 20-24, 2025 

Pre-Trial Week  

Events: 

The Nashiri proceedings did not begin until 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, January 21, 2025, in observance of the Martin Luther King, Jr., federal holiday. The start time was staggered with the concurrent KSM et. al., (“KSM”) hearings to ease security processing of observers and trial teams. Proceedings did not actually begin until 10:00 a.m.

The observation center at Ft. George G. Meade provided two televisions tuned concurrently to the Nashiri and KSM hearings, providing individual radio headsets that allowed observers to select the auditory feed that matched the hearing. Initial technical difficulties led to only one feed or the other being available, but this difficulty was resolved shortly after 10:00 a.m.  

Though government witnesses were listed first on the court docket, the defense for Nashiri moved for a continuance that would prevent hearing the witnesses at this time based on three arguments: 

1. Conflict of interest: One of the judge’s long-tenured trial judiciary staff members entered an application to join the FBI on January 20, 2025. Since one or more of the government witnesses were from the FBI, there was a potential conflict of interest concerning the trial judiciary staff member’s allegiance.  

2. Unfinished briefing cycle: The briefing cycle should be completed prior to hearing any witnesses, specifically a motion in AE 588 G contending jurisdiction. The defense holds that “unprivileged” in the government-applied term “alien unprivileged enemy belligerent” is at issue. If Nashiri is determined not to be “unprivileged,” the government has no personal jurisdiction over him.  

3. Cumulative testimony with no personal knowledge: Since the government has already presented this testimony and the points are already on the record, these witnesses represent cumulative value only and should not be heard as they are likely to confuse the issues. Additionally, the witnesses do not have personal knowledge of the events and will instead be testifying as to the contents of records. 

After hearing arguments, the judge ruled that there was no conflict of interest regarding the member of the commission staff applying for a position in the FBI. The judge was previously made aware of the intent to apply, and that while staff can offer advice, they are not the judge and do not have decision-making authority. The judge also denied a continuance to complete the briefing cycle because testimony can be struck from the record if the later briefing cycle shows that to be necessary. Finally, the judge also ruled that “pre-trial” does not need to follow “in-trial” rules of evidence regarding cumulative effects, so hearing the witnesses’ testimony would go forward. He noted that his ruling does not block any objections made on the same basis, and such objections would be entered into the record. 

In the Media

The Hill published the following article by Thomas Wheatley, a participant in Judicial Watch’s GTMO Observer Program.

“Trump, honor Obama’s agreement to release Guantanamo detainee,”
The Hill, October 4, 2017

About Thomas Wheatley, https://www2.gmu.edu/news/424386

International Visitors and United Nations DGC Briefing

• 2018
  • Wrap up for 2018
• 2017
  • Summary of UN Event: The Trade in Minors in the Digital Age – September 28, 2017
• 2016
  • Wrap up for 2016
• Countries represented by international visitors to Judicial Watch in 2016:
  Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Albania, Czech Republic, Georgia, Lithuania, Moldova, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ukraine, Macedonia, Benin, Burkina Faso, Congo, The Gambia, Guinea, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Swaziland, Argentina, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Togo, Finland, Georgia, Guatemala, India, Ireland, Kuwait, Lesotho, Nepal, Netherlands, Philippines, Vietnam, and South Sudan

• United Nation’s Commemoration of the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons – September
• Observance of the International Day Against Nuclear Tests – August
• Summary of Meeting with North Africa and the Near East Delegation – February

• 2015
• Wrap up for 2015
• Countries represented by international visitors to Judicial Watch in 2015:
  Macedonia, Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH),Bulgaria, France, Georgia, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, Ukraine, Algeria Brunei, Croatia, Egypt, Hungary, India, Lithuania, Malawi, Nepal, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Tunisia, and Venezuela

• Summary of UN Briefing, “Global Refugee Crises: Opportunities and Challenges” – November

• Summary of Meeting with Macedonian Delegation – July
• UNESCO Event Summary SREBRENICA – July
• 2014
• Wrap up for 2014
• Countries represented by international visitors to Judicial Watch in 2014:
  China, Argentina, Columbia, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela, Argentina, Georgia, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Italy, Republic of Kosovo, Moldova, Netherlands, Serbia, , Kenya, Bolivia, Chile, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, and Honduras

• Western Hemisphere – September
• 65th UN DPI/NGO Conference – August
• 2013
  • People’s Republic of China – December
  • People’s Republic of China – September
  • Ukraine
  • Meeting with Delegates from Newly Independent States
• 2012
  • A Multi-Regional Project for Young Political Leaders
  • Europe and Eurasia
  • Croatia
  • Israel
  • Philippines
• 2011
  • China
  • France
• 2010
  • Croatia
  • India and Bhutan
  • UN-DPI, Washington, DC – “Rediscovering Preventive Diplomacy for Peace in the World’s Hotspots: A View from the United Nations”
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Vietnam
  • French Counterterrorism Officials
• 2009
  • Indonesia
  • Vietnam
  • Russia
  • North Africa and the Near East
  • Armenia
  • Haiti
  • Morocco
• 2008
  • Thailand
  • Multi-Regional Delegation – The US Judicial System – Bosnia-Herzegovina, Burma, Timor-Leste, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Israel, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Malaysia, Nigeria, Malawi, Pakistan, Portugal, Romania, People’s Republic of China, South Africa
  • France
  • 11 Latin American Countries – Bolivia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Venezuela
• 2007
  • Czech Republic
  • Vietnam
• 2006
  • Croatia – Law Enforcement and the Judiciary
  • Tanzania
  • France- French Ministry of Justice
  • The Multi-Regional Project
  • Italy
  • Ukraine
  • France
  • Kyrgyzstan
  • Cambodia
  • Croatia
  • Fulbright Fellows
  • The Sun Shines in Over 60 Countries Worldwide
• 2005
  • International Visitor Report
  • Taipei, Taiwan
  • Kosovo
• 2004
  • Latvia
  • West Africa delegation
  • Czech Republic
  • Ghana
• 2003
  • Brazil
  • Russia
  • Republic of China
• 2002
  • Japan
  • Turkey
• 2001
  • Moldova