11 January 2026, BBC news headlines the Abu Zubaydah case to reveal that the UK government has paid “substantial” compensation to a man who was tortured by the CIA and remains imprisoned without trial at Guantanamo Bay after almost 20 years.
Rachel Toney acted as Special Advocate in the case over a number of years up until settlement earlier in 2025.
The case has received widespread international coverage. Abu Zubaydah alleged that MI5 and MI6 passed questions to the CIA for use during his interrogations despite knowing of his extreme mistreatment. He brought a legal claim against the UK on the basis that its intelligence services were “complicit” in his torture. The link to the BBC report is here.
Rachel is currently acting in the case of Abu Faraj Al-Libi, another individual imprisoned without trial at Guantanamo Bay since 2006 and who alleges that he also suffered torture and extreme mistreatment at the hands of the CIA and its “enhanced interrogation techniques”, whilst MI5 and MI6 continued to pass questions for use during his interrogation.
Further information
For more information from the stone team, contact clerks@36stone.co.uk
Involving Rachel Toney
