An interview of Stephen H. Oleskey conducted January 24 and February 5, 2012 in Boston, Massachusetts, by Ronald J. Grele for the Columbia Center for Oral History, Rule of Law Oral History Project.

Stephen Oleskely's law career has been marked by significant pro bono work, including his represention of the “Algerian Six” with fellow WilmerHale partner Robert C. Kirsch in the landmark Supreme Court case Boumediene v. Bush (2008). The “Algerian Six” refers to Bosnian men detained at the Guantánamo Bay detention center for seven years; all but one of the six (Bensayah Belkacem) have been released without charge. Highlights of this interview include discussions of Mr. Oleskey's first visits to Guantánamo Bay, personal relationships with detainee clients and their families, the false media narrative of the “Algerian Six,” the psychological impact of abusive treatment on detainees, and the resettlement experiences of released detainees.

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