Andrea J. Prasow
Encyclopedia
Andrea J. Prasow is an American
lawyer whose work particularly focuses on the rights of individuals detained in the "War on Terror
". When she was with the firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison
, Prasow represented Saudi detainees in their petition for habeas corpus
.
Later as a defense attorney with the Office of Military Commissions, Prasow worked on behalf of Salim Ahmed Hamdan
, one of the first Guantanamo captives to face formal charges before the Guantanamo military commissions.
Subsequently Prasow became a senior counsel with the Terrorism and Counterterrorism Program at Human Rights Watch
.
In that capacity Prasow investigates and analyzes U.S. counterterrorism policies and practices, and leads advocacy efforts urging the U.S. to implement policies that respect international standards of human rights. Prasow has written several pieces about the current military commission proceedings and her travels to Afghanistan
to observe the newly public Detainee Review Boards held at the Detention Facility in Parwan.
, Ontario
, Canada
, and received her B.A.
from the University of Toronto
in 1999. From 1999-2000, Prasow worked for the University Health Network in Toronto, where she investigated workplace harassment claims and provided training on sexual harassment issues at the University of Toronto. Prasow then received her J.D.
at the Georgetown University Law Center
in 2003.
There she worked in civil litigation and took on a variety of pro bono
cases. It was in this capacity that Prasow took on the representation of ten Saudi detainees at Guantanamo Bay in their habeas corpus proceedings in federal court.
Prasow then moved to the Office of the Chief Defense Counsel, Office of Military Commissions, United States Department of Defense
. Here she served as Assistant Defense Counsel for Salim Ahmed Hamdan
's case before a Guantanamo military commission
. During this case, she requested permission for a member of the Hamdan defense team to travel to secretive Camp 7
.
Hamdan's defense team sought the testimony of fourteen high value detainees held there, although several of the detainees declined because they believed the request was some kind of trick.
Prasow later joined Human Rights Watch
as Senior Counsel in their Terrorism and Counterterrorism Program. In that capacity Prasow traveled to Guantanamo to observe the December 3, 2009 hearing of Ibrahim Ahmed Mahmoud al Qosi
. She was later invited to write a guest column in The Jurist with her critique of the proceedings.
In her column Prasow was critical of Lieutenant Colonel
Nancy Paul, al Qosi's Presiding Officer, for going forward with al Qosi's commission despite the fact that the rules of procedure for the new commission had not yet been drafted.
Prasow was also one of the lawyers profiled in Mark Denbeaux and Jonathan Hafetz's book, The Guantanamo Lawyers: Inside a Prison Outside the Law.
In the book, Prasow is quoted about the steps she took so as not to offend potentially conservative Muslim clients.
She also references the disparity in treatment of lawyers in these cases, particularly between lawyers working on the detainees' habeas petitions and lawyers defending the detainees before the Guantanamo military commissions.
invited Prasow to attend a panel discussion on military commissions with Chief Prosecutor Morris Davis
and Eugene Fidell, the President of the National Institute of Military Justice.
In June 2009, Prasow was an invited speaker at an event organized by the American Society of International Law
. The event, entitled "Women in International Law Networking Breakfast".
was also attended by Kristine Huskey, Laura Black and Andrea Menaker.
In May 2010, Prasow addressed the Canadian Parliament's Special Committee on the Canadian Mission in Afghanistan on the use of torture by the Afghan government.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
lawyer whose work particularly focuses on the rights of individuals detained in the "War on Terror
War on Terror
The War on Terror is a term commonly applied to an international military campaign led by the United States and the United Kingdom with the support of other North Atlantic Treaty Organisation as well as non-NATO countries...
". When she was with the firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison
Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison
Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP is a law firm headquartered on Sixth Avenue in New York City. The firm has well-noted expertise in its corporate, personal representation, entertainment law and litigation practices, having long been a leader among national litigation firms...
, Prasow represented Saudi detainees in their petition for habeas corpus
Habeas corpus
is a writ, or legal action, through which a prisoner can be released from unlawful detention. The remedy can be sought by the prisoner or by another person coming to his aid. Habeas corpus originated in the English legal system, but it is now available in many nations...
.
Later as a defense attorney with the Office of Military Commissions, Prasow worked on behalf of Salim Ahmed Hamdan
Salim Ahmed Hamdan
Salim Ahmed Hamdan is a Yemeni man, captured during the invasion of Afghanistan, and imprisoned at Guantanamo Bay. He admits to being Osama bin Laden's personal driver claiming he needed the $200 monthly salary that came with the job....
, one of the first Guantanamo captives to face formal charges before the Guantanamo military commissions.
Subsequently Prasow became a senior counsel with the Terrorism and Counterterrorism Program at Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Its headquarters are in New York City and it has offices in Berlin, Beirut, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo,...
.
In that capacity Prasow investigates and analyzes U.S. counterterrorism policies and practices, and leads advocacy efforts urging the U.S. to implement policies that respect international standards of human rights. Prasow has written several pieces about the current military commission proceedings and her travels to Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
to observe the newly public Detainee Review Boards held at the Detention Facility in Parwan.
Education
Prasow was raised in TorontoToronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, and received her B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
from the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
in 1999. From 1999-2000, Prasow worked for the University Health Network in Toronto, where she investigated workplace harassment claims and provided training on sexual harassment issues at the University of Toronto. Prasow then received her J.D.
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
at the Georgetown University Law Center
Georgetown University Law Center
Georgetown University Law Center is the law school of Georgetown University, located in Washington, D.C.. Established in 1870, the Law Center offers J.D., LL.M., and S.J.D. degrees in law...
in 2003.
Legal career
Prasow was a litigation associate of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP until 2005.There she worked in civil litigation and took on a variety of pro bono
Pro bono
Pro bono publico is a Latin phrase generally used to describe professional work undertaken voluntarily and without payment or at a reduced fee as a public service. It is common in the legal profession and is increasingly seen in marketing, technology, and strategy consulting firms...
cases. It was in this capacity that Prasow took on the representation of ten Saudi detainees at Guantanamo Bay in their habeas corpus proceedings in federal court.
Prasow then moved to the Office of the Chief Defense Counsel, Office of Military Commissions, United States Department of Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
. Here she served as Assistant Defense Counsel for Salim Ahmed Hamdan
Salim Ahmed Hamdan
Salim Ahmed Hamdan is a Yemeni man, captured during the invasion of Afghanistan, and imprisoned at Guantanamo Bay. He admits to being Osama bin Laden's personal driver claiming he needed the $200 monthly salary that came with the job....
's case before a Guantanamo military commission
Guantanamo military commission
The Guantanamo military commissions are military tribunals created by the Military Commissions Act of 2006 for prosecuting detainees held in the United States Guantanamo Bay detainment camps.- History :...
. During this case, she requested permission for a member of the Hamdan defense team to travel to secretive Camp 7
Camp seven (Guantanamo)
Camp Seven is the most secure camp within the Guantanamo Bay detention camps, in Cuba.Its existence was kept secret for the first two years of its use....
.
Hamdan's defense team sought the testimony of fourteen high value detainees held there, although several of the detainees declined because they believed the request was some kind of trick.
Prasow later joined Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Its headquarters are in New York City and it has offices in Berlin, Beirut, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo,...
as Senior Counsel in their Terrorism and Counterterrorism Program. In that capacity Prasow traveled to Guantanamo to observe the December 3, 2009 hearing of Ibrahim Ahmed Mahmoud al Qosi
Ibrahim Ahmed Mahmoud al Qosi
-Habeas petition:A petition of habeas corpus was filed on Al Qosi's behalf.Over two hundred captives had habeas corpus petitions filed on their behalf before the Detainee Treatment Act of 2005 and the Military Commissions Act of 2006 closed off the captives' access to the US civilian justice...
. She was later invited to write a guest column in The Jurist with her critique of the proceedings.
In her column Prasow was critical of Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
Nancy Paul, al Qosi's Presiding Officer, for going forward with al Qosi's commission despite the fact that the rules of procedure for the new commission had not yet been drafted.
Prasow was also one of the lawyers profiled in Mark Denbeaux and Jonathan Hafetz's book, The Guantanamo Lawyers: Inside a Prison Outside the Law.
In the book, Prasow is quoted about the steps she took so as not to offend potentially conservative Muslim clients.
She also references the disparity in treatment of lawyers in these cases, particularly between lawyers working on the detainees' habeas petitions and lawyers defending the detainees before the Guantanamo military commissions.
Speaking engagements
In February 2007, the Washington College of LawWashington College of Law
American University Washington College of Law is the law school of American University. It is located on Massachusetts Avenue in the Spring Valley neighborhood of northwest Washington. WCL is ranked 50th among law schools by US News and World Report...
invited Prasow to attend a panel discussion on military commissions with Chief Prosecutor Morris Davis
Morris Davis
Colonel Morris D. Davis is a United States Air Force officer and lawyer, was appointed to serve as the third Chief Prosecutor in the Guantanamo military commissions....
and Eugene Fidell, the President of the National Institute of Military Justice.
In June 2009, Prasow was an invited speaker at an event organized by the American Society of International Law
American Society of International Law
The American Society of International Law is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, educational membership organization, based in Washington, D.C.. It was founded in 1906, and was chartered by the United States Congress in 1950...
. The event, entitled "Women in International Law Networking Breakfast".
was also attended by Kristine Huskey, Laura Black and Andrea Menaker.
In May 2010, Prasow addressed the Canadian Parliament's Special Committee on the Canadian Mission in Afghanistan on the use of torture by the Afghan government.