A British court has forced the release of classified government documents on the torture of former Guantanamo Bay prisoner Binyam Mohamed. The US and British governments had long tried to keep the documents under wraps, citing the confidentiality of intelligence sharing. The documents contain a judge’s summary of a classified CIA report on Mohamed’s imprisonment, which notes he was subjected to “cruel, inhuman and degrading” treatment. A British citizen, Mohamed was released from Guantanamo a year ago after seven years in US custody. Clare Algar of Reprieve, a legal group that’s represented Mohamed, said the documents prove Britain was aware of Mohamed’s torture in US custody.

Clare Algar: “Well, it makes it pretty clear that the British intelligence services did know what was going on with Binyam. I think there are a number of ways in which that impacts. Obviously, it’s relevant in relation to his claim for damages. But also, I think it’s relevant in relation to another thing which Reprieve is working on, which is trying to get the torture policy, which the government had in place at that time, the 2004 policy, disclosed, because we still haven’t seen that. And actually, it would be very interesting to know what the government’s position was in relation to what the intelligence services were allowed to do at that time.”

President Obama has continued the Bush administration’s effort to fight the documents’ release since taking office. In a statement, White House spokesperson Ben LaBolt called the court ruling “deeply disappoint[ing]” and said it could “complicate” intelligence-sharing with Britain.