[JURIST] A US government source on Friday revealed that Shaker Aamer [NYT backgrounder; JURIST news archive], a Saudi citizen Saudi citizen and former UK resident detained at Guantanamo Bay [JURIST backgrounder], is expected to be released in June after recent calls from the UK government. Aamer and his counsel had asked [JURIST report] a federal judge last week to release him on the grounds that he is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and other illnesses. The undisclosed US source has said [AFP report] that Aamer will be transferred to another country with other released detainees. The US State Department’s Special Envoy for the Closing of GuantanamoCliff Sloan [official website] told media that there is no reason Aamer should not be released.

In February the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit denied [JURIST report] Aamer and three other detainees their request for injunctive relief to stop prison authorities from force-feeding prisoners to end their hunger strike. Aamer filed a complaint [JURIST report] in September against UK security forces MI5 and MI6 [official websites] regarding his treatment while detained by them. In December 2012, Aamer also filed a defamation suit [JURIST report] against both agencies. Amnesty International [advocacy website] has denounced [JURIST report] Aamer’s continued detention, calling it a “mockery of justice” in a February 2011 report.