In court on Wednesday, Marine Brigadier General John Baker, who oversees defence teams at the facility, attempted to argue the court had no jurisdiction over him. Spath declared Baker in contempt for excusing three civilian defence lawyers from the case because of an unspecified ethics conflict involving attorney-client privilege. Spath ordered the general confined to his quarters in a trailer near the court and to pay a $1,000 fine. Spath ordered the civilian lawyers to return to Guantánamo Bay or appear by video-link next week. In recent weeks, the military authorities have taken a tougher line on the strikers, allowing them to deteriorate significantly before force-feeding them.

Source: The Guardian November 01, 2017 20:16 UTC