[JURIST] Chief US Marine Corps defense counsel Col. Carol Joyce has ordered a top Marine Corps lawyer and a paralegal to refrain from speaking with the press concerning allegations of widespread abuse of prisoners by guards at Guantanamo Bay [JURIST news archive], a military spokesperson confirmed Saturday. The order, initially revealed by Muneer Ahmad [faculty profile], a civilian defense lawyer representing Canadian Guantanamo detainee Omar Khadr [JURIST news archive], was described by the spokesperson as being "necessary to ensure all actions of the counsel are in compliance with regulations establishing professional standards for military attorneys."

Lt. Col. Colby Vokey, who serves as Khadr's military counsel [JURIST report], made the allegations [JURIST report] after his paralegal, Sgt. Heather Cerveny, provided a two-page sworn statement that she conversed with a group of off-duty Marines who bragged of beating and abusing detainees. The US Department of Defense Inspector General [official website] has since announced that the armed force's Southern Command [official website] will investigate [press release] the allegations. AP has more.