
Through the Gates of Hell
American Injustice at Guantanamo Bay
Joshua Colangelo-Bryan(Author)
Humanitas Media, Inc. (Publisher)
Published on 14. October 2025
Book
Hardback
232 pages
978-1-967494-00-2 (ISBN)
Description
An inspiring true story about an American attorney and his client confronting prejudice and persecution in a prison outside the law, as one fights for the other’s freedom, and the other fights for his life.
“We’ll be watching,” the sergeant said, pointing at a video monitor inside Camp Echo’s guard booth. “For your protection.”
In 2004, attorney Joshua Colangelo-Bryan arrived at Guantanamo Bay to meet Jaber Mohammed, one of six Bahraini detainees his firm had agreed to represent. Colangelo-Bryan had heard these men were “among the most dangerous, best-trained, vicious killers on the face of the earth,” as Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld put it. Colangelo-Bryan didn’t buy the rhetoric, but did find himself wondering if he was about to meet a killer.
Far from being threatening, though, Mohammed welcomed Colangelo-Bryan, even as his ankle was shackled to the floor. Why was Mohammed there? Was he guilty of a crime? These were among the questions Colangelo-Bryan had to answer. Surprisingly, the two spoke for hours about their lives. Mohammed also detailed the inhumane conditions at the prison, including abuse by guards and solitary confinement.
A friendship grew over time, as Colangelo-Bryan worked to bring justice to Mohammed. The Bush administration claimed any “enemy combatant” could be held in Guantanamo forever without a trial, and it became clear that litigation was unlikely to free the Bahrainis. And so, as Mohammed lost hope, Colangelo-Bryan devised a plan to leverage the media and pressure the Bahraini government to negotiate for the release of its citizens. Colangelo- Bryan’s long fight for the Bahrainis was ultimately successful, and in 2007, after several suicide attempts, Mohammed was freed.
Through the Gates of Hell is a powerful account of an unlikely friendship and what it takes to fight for human rights in the post–9/11 era.
“We’ll be watching,” the sergeant said, pointing at a video monitor inside Camp Echo’s guard booth. “For your protection.”
In 2004, attorney Joshua Colangelo-Bryan arrived at Guantanamo Bay to meet Jaber Mohammed, one of six Bahraini detainees his firm had agreed to represent. Colangelo-Bryan had heard these men were “among the most dangerous, best-trained, vicious killers on the face of the earth,” as Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld put it. Colangelo-Bryan didn’t buy the rhetoric, but did find himself wondering if he was about to meet a killer.
Far from being threatening, though, Mohammed welcomed Colangelo-Bryan, even as his ankle was shackled to the floor. Why was Mohammed there? Was he guilty of a crime? These were among the questions Colangelo-Bryan had to answer. Surprisingly, the two spoke for hours about their lives. Mohammed also detailed the inhumane conditions at the prison, including abuse by guards and solitary confinement.
A friendship grew over time, as Colangelo-Bryan worked to bring justice to Mohammed. The Bush administration claimed any “enemy combatant” could be held in Guantanamo forever without a trial, and it became clear that litigation was unlikely to free the Bahrainis. And so, as Mohammed lost hope, Colangelo-Bryan devised a plan to leverage the media and pressure the Bahraini government to negotiate for the release of its citizens. Colangelo- Bryan’s long fight for the Bahrainis was ultimately successful, and in 2007, after several suicide attempts, Mohammed was freed.
Through the Gates of Hell is a powerful account of an unlikely friendship and what it takes to fight for human rights in the post–9/11 era.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United States
Product notice
sewn/stitched
Cloth over boards
Dimensions
Height: 230 mm
Width: 157 mm
Thickness: 25 mm
Weight
486 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-967494-00-2 (9781967494002)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
10/2025
Simon + Schuster LLC
€16.80
Available for download
Person
Joshua Colangelo-Bryan is Special Counsel at Human Rights First, where he spearheads impact litigation and advocacy efforts to uphold democratic principles and support human rights defenders globally. Beyond representing Guantanamo detainees, he has sued Turkey for assaulting peaceful protestors in Washington, D.C., the Trump administration for attempting to deport a college student based on her protest activity, and a U.S. pastor who fomented legislation in Uganda criminalizing the LGBTQI community. Josh has conducted human-rights investigations in countries such as Yemen, Syria, and Bahrain.
In the early 2000s, Josh served with the United Nations Mission in Kosovo, working on the prosecution of war crimes cases.
He has provided commentary for national media, authored op-eds in The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, and The Guardian, and spoken before Congress and at colleges, law schools, churches, and synagogues regarding Guantanamo and international law.
In the early 2000s, Josh served with the United Nations Mission in Kosovo, working on the prosecution of war crimes cases.
He has provided commentary for national media, authored op-eds in The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, and The Guardian, and spoken before Congress and at colleges, law schools, churches, and synagogues regarding Guantanamo and international law.