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Page Number: 9

4 

ZIGLAR v. ABBASI 

Opinion of the Court 

Metropolitan  Detention  Center  (MDC)  in  Brooklyn,  New
York.  They  were  held  in  the  Administrative  Maximum
Special  Housing  Unit  (or  Unit)  of  the  MDC.    The  com-
plaint  includes  these  allegations:  Conditions  in  the  Unit 
were harsh.  Pursuant to official Bureau of Prisons policy,
detainees  were  held  in  “ ‘tiny  cells  for  over  23  hours  a 
day.’ ”  789 F. 3d, at 228.  Lights in the cells were left on 24 
hours.  Detainees  had  little  opportunity  for  exercise  or 
recreation.  They were forbidden to keep anything in their 
cells, even basic hygiene products such as soap or a tooth-
brush.  When removed from the cells for any reason, they
were  shackled  and  escorted  by  four  guards.  They  were
denied  access  to  most  forms  of  communication  with  the 
outside  world.    And  they  were  strip  searched  often—any
time they were moved, as well as at random in their cells. 
Some  of  the  harsh  conditions  in  the  Unit  were  not  im-
posed  pursuant  to  official  policy.    According  to  the  com-
plaint, prison guards engaged in a pattern of “physical and 
verbal abuse.”  Ibid.  Guards allegedly slammed detainees 
into  walls;  twisted  their  arms,  wrists,  and  fingers;  broke
their  bones;  referred  to  them  as  terrorists;  threatened 
them  with  violence;  subjected  them  to  humiliating  sexual
comments; and insulted their religion. 

B 
Respondents  are  six  men  of  Arab  or  South  Asian  de-
scent.  Five are Muslims.  Each was illegally in this coun-
try, arrested during the course of the September 11 inves-
tigation,  and  detained  in  the  Administrative  Maximum
Special  Housing  Unit  for  periods  ranging  from  three  to
eight  months.    After  being  released  respondents  were
removed from the United States. 

Respondents  then  sued  on  their  own  behalf,  and  on
behalf  of  a  putative  class,  seeking  compensatory  and
punitive  damages,  attorney’s  fees,  and  costs.    Respond-
ents,  it  seems  fair  to  conclude  from  the  arguments  pre-